


What Could Have Been

by TNaPKI



Category: Legacies (TV 2018), The Originals (TV), The Vampire Diaries & Related Fandoms, The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Compliant, Canonical Character Death, Caroline Forbes Goes to New Orleans, Endgame Caroline Forbes/Klaus Mikaelson, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hope Mikaelson & Lizzie Saltzman Friendship, Hybrid Klaus Mikaelson, Inspired by The Originals (TV), Nostalgia, Parent Caroline Forbes, Parent Klaus Mikaelson, Post-Canon, Post-Canon Fix-It, The Originals (TV) Spoilers, Vampire Caroline Forbes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-15
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:13:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 35
Words: 180,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25282918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TNaPKI/pseuds/TNaPKI
Summary: My impression of what Season 6 of The Originals would have been like post 5x13 where Klaroline becomes endgame. Is Klaus really gone or is there more to the story? Find out! Updates EVERY Wednesday!**WINNER OF KC AWARDS 2020: Best angst multi-chapter****NOMINATED FOR KC AWARDS 2020: Best AU supernatural author**
Relationships: Caroline Forbes/Klaus Mikaelson, Hope Mikaelson & Klaus Mikaelson
Comments: 515
Kudos: 341





	1. Always and Forever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The TO series finale happens as it did but afterwards things play out a little differently.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there! I know I'm a little late to the whole Vampire Diaries wagon but I finally binge watched TVD & TO altogether last year and I decided one thing: Klaroline is the ULTIMATE ship and I must see it come to its full fruition in some way or the other! And I thought to myself, what better way than to write all that angst out of your system? So, here it is...my version of what Season 6 of The Originals would have looked like had it continued. As for the timeline, we pick up right where the TO finale left off, in fact this first scene is pretty much the same (forgive me, I wanted to start with something familiar to get into my writing vibe). I've kept things as canon as possible (with a few liberties & Easter Eggs here and there!) Enjoy :)
> 
> Disclaimer: Duh, I don't own TVD, TO, Legacies...JP does. Else, things would have ended slightly differently (as you shall see)

It was a quiet night in the French Quarter, just another night for most of the people who resided in the city. The night was still – unusual for New Orleans – but brightly lit as always with its string lights and vintage lamp posts lining its streets. Three of the Mikaelson siblings walked towards the clearing in the centre of the French Quarter, looking solemn. The Original Hybrid Klaus and his sister Rebekah were side by side while their older brother Elijah followed close behind. They stopped at one of the benches and Klaus slowly turned to Rebekah, his face strained.

“Many moons ago,” Klaus reminisced looking around his favorite city, “we sat here and discussed the future of our family.” Rebekah looked back at him sadly. He came closer and rubbed her shoulder, his expression now advanced to pain with a tinge of regret.

“I never should have gotten in the way of your happiness, Rebekah,” he said wistfully and Rebekah’s undead heart filled to its brim upon hearing this from her brother.

“You don’t have to apologize,” she replied, shaking her head. She wasn’t sure if she could hold back the tears any longer.

“Then let me make it up to you.” Klaus paused as Rebekah looked at him curiously. “I’ve asked Caroline to get you the cure.” Her surprised eyes now filled up, threatening to spill over onto her cheeks.

“In a handful of decades, when it’s time, you can go to Mystic Falls and get it. Then if you no longer wish to be a vampire, it’s your choice.” His voice was almost a gentle whisper now. Rebekah gushed with happiness and love for her brother which for a split second made her forget the reason they were gathered here. Klaus lovingly stroked her hair. “Live the life you’ve always wanted to live, _my sister_ ,” he emphasized on the last two words with such raw emotion that she finally let out a sob and wrapped her arms around him, holding him close for one last time.

“Thank you,” she whispered. Klaus hugged back and shut his eyes, taking in the precious moment with his sister. She let go and they just looked at each other. Rebekah then glanced behind him to look at Elijah, who in turn, gave her a small smile. She walked past Klaus and went to him, giving him a heart-felt hug as well. Elijah put his arms around her, kissed her cheek and let go. Rebekah then turned, taking once last look at her brothers and left. The two Originals stood in silence, watching their sister walk away. Klaus then made a decision and decided not to put off any longer what was to inevitably be done.

“I don’t want your last memory of me to be my death,” he said slowly, turning around and sitting on the nearest bench. “So please let’s not say the sad goodbye,” he asserted, raising his hands with finality.

Elijah didn’t move. “I agree,” he said, still not looking at Klaus. “Let’s not.”

He then slipped his hand into his suit pocket and took out the white oak stake and Klaus watched curiously as Elijah took it in both hands and broke it into two pieces.

Klaus looked up at his older sibling’s face. “I hate to disappoint you brother, but the stake will be just as effective in its shorter form.”

“I’m aware.”

“So you plan to hold onto a piece as a souvenir?” Klaus asked exasperatedly, not knowing what his brother’s actions meant.

Elijah shut his eyes briefly and upon opening them finally turned to look at Klaus and joined him on the bench. Klaus continued to stare at him perplexed, wondering what was going through his brother’s mind. Elijah just shortly smiled at him and made a single statement.

“I intend to die by your side,” he said simply. Klaus’ face upon hearing this was a flutter of emotions alternating between shock and some anger, but he didn’t say anything to fight his brother.

Elijah looked at the two broken shards of wood in his hand and handed over a piece to Klaus. He looked confused but took it anyway, his expression slowly changing to one of acceptance. He then leaned back against the bench and sighed.

“What if there’s nothing after this?” he wondered out loud. “No peace, just darkness.” The weight of his thoughts began to overwhelm him a little, with a hint of fear flickering in his chest.

“We’ll face it together…” Elijah replied, his voice slightly cracking as he held back tears. The two brothers looked at each other for a moment and Klaus nodded. Finally, both of them got up from the bench and stood facing each other. “…As always.” Elijah finished, flashing him a small smile that shone through his sorrow filled face.

“I don’t deserve the love you’ve given me brother,” said Klaus, “but I am so grateful.” He came closer and put his arm on Elijah’s shoulder.

Elijah maintained his effort to hold back tears and spoke softly. “It’s been a glorious ride, Niklaus…” he paused as the brothers took a collective deep breath, “…And the greatest honour.” Klaus gave him a small smile in response and they slowly positioned their stakes on each other.

The two Mikaelson brothers took a long hard look at one other for one last time, smiled and nodded in unison before making that final push – which was all it took to drive the stakes into each other’s hearts. Still not taking their eyes off each other, their bodies jerked a little as the life slowly began to drain out of their bodies.

Within seconds the magic of the white oak stake took effect and their Original skin started to grey – from their arms and legs till it finally spread across to their faces.

Soon, all that was left of a pair of thousand year old vampires was a swirling cloud of ashes – ashes that rose and spread across the sky, forever securing them as a permanent part of their beloved city, New Orleans.

* * *

Klaus’ eyes snapped open. He felt disoriented for a moment, surrounded by blackness and a thick layer of what appeared to be fog. He didn’t like his predicament; as a powerful Hybrid he was not used to the feeling of being unable to see in the dark, or any sort of weakness for that matter.

He tried to focus on his surroundings in the hope that things would get clearer when a question suddenly came to his mind: how did he even get here? He continued to look around wondering about the bigger question, ‘where _is_ ‘here’?’

When he struggled to jog his memory and was drawing a blank, he began to get agitated. If he found out that there were people messing with his mind, they were going to pay…he would make sure of it!

Speaking of people, where was everybody? As things around him began to come into view, his thoughts immediately went to his daughter Hope. Where was she? Was she safe? What was happening? Where were his siblings – Elijah, Rebekah, Freya..Kol?

Once again, as a true strategist, Klaus Mikaelson intensely disliked the feeling of being at a disadvantage – of having so many questions with no way to get answers. He decided to focus on what he could control and began to walk.

The fog began to clear a little, slowly revealing the space around him little by little… until his eyes fell on a series of benches in the center of what appeared to be the French Quarter in New Orleans.

It looked like his favourite city but it didn’t. It was almost as if he was…in a ghost town.

And that’s when he remembered why the imagery of the place seemed familiar – apart from the fact that it resembled his beloved city. It reflected Kol’s description of his afterlife where he had spent quite some time before his girlfriend, the witch Davina, came to rescue him and this only meant one thing.

Klaus Mikaelson was dead and his spirit was currently lost somewhere within the Ancestral Plane.

* * *

Caroline Forbes drove in silence but her brain was anything but quiet – partly responsible for that was her mind playing back her last moments with Klaus a few hours ago, over and over on loop.

She had walked out of Rousseau’s, biting her inner cheek to hold back tears and fighting every urge in her body that was telling her to turn around for one more look…one more moment.

One last time to look at the man who had so drastically evolved since the first time he walked into her bedroom on her birthday so many years ago. From the psychopathic serial killer to the passionate father and all the time in between when she wished she could forget all the bad things he had done just so she could finally admit to herself without guilt that she was feeling something for him.

One last kiss with the man who had told her he intended to be her last love.

Her fingers gripped the steering wheel tighter and she licked her lips – she could have sworn she still felt a whisper of his warmth from their parting kiss. She thought of the last words she had said to him.

“I’ll never forget you.”

Forget him? Like that was even possible. They may have gone through long spells of time without seeing each other but there was no shaking off the profound impact he had had on her irrespective of that.

She stopped for gas and didn’t realize until she stepped out that she had really needed to stretch her legs. She decided she should probably feed and took the car to the side. Despite the absence of people in the vicinity, she still looked around before opening the trunk and pulling out the mini-cooler of blood bags she kept for long distance travel. She opened up the cooler and hesitated; did she just lose her appetite? Was this even possible with a vampire’s natural blood lust? She shook her head and shut the cooler. ‘Something is seriously wrong with me’, she concluded and decided to get herself a coffee from the store instead.

She got into her car seat, her coffee cup in one hand and road-trip snacks in the other. She figured if she wasn’t going to feed she would need something to munch on as it was already dark and there was quite some distance left to go before she got home. She tossed the snack packs on to the passenger seat and began to put on her seatbelt when another memory of Klaus came to her mind, from the last time he sat on that very seat next to her.

_Do you regret the time we’ve spent together?_

He had been so earnest in asking her this at the time, it took her by surprise; she never would have thought him to be bothered with trivial things like her feelings with regard to spending time with him. But she remembered that she had nevertheless felt a flicker of something in her heart knowing that he did. There really was something to be said about being the focus of the most powerful creature to have roamed the earth for over a thousand years. She’d be lying if she said his words didn’t affect her as deeply as she ever admitted to.

“If we’d never met until now, I wonder if you’d even notice me,” she had told Klaus while speculating about her observations as to why he showed interest in her back then, although it struck her later that she may have been justifying things to herself while slightly tending to the miniscule remains of her insecure, human side.

_It would be impossible not to notice you, Caroline._

She let out a breathy laugh as if only now realizing how truly intimate that statement was and her response to the memory opened a floodgate of emotions that felt like they had been pent up within her all this while. Her laughter gradually turned to soft sobs as the façade she’d gotten so acquainted with maintaining around him for her own sanity, for her own good, for the sake of her family and all the other reasons she wasn’t even sure of anymore came crashing down.

And so she wept, letting the tears fall freely as she drove back to Mystic Falls alone in her car with no one to rationalize to about why the death of the Great Evil Klaus Mikaelson provoked all these emotions within her.

It was past two in the morning when she finally got to her place – a cosy two bedroom house which was part of the Staff Quarters at the Salvatore Boarding School for the Young and Gifted. Her partner Alaric Saltzman, with whom she raised their two daughters Lizzie and Josie, occupied a replica of the same house across the compound. The structure had been designed along the same lines of the main Salvatore House itself, like most of the other buildings on the grounds. The wooden finish, the vintage lamps and even the furniture for that matter…blink once and she may as well have been in the Salvatore living room with her friends again, just like old times.

Old times really felt so long ago…but then again it had been over a decade since her wedding to Stefan Salvatore – the day she got both married and widowed. Over time she had finally managed to come to terms with the fact that Stefan picked Damon over her and her insecure human side had stopped taunting her about once again being a second choice, despite the true love that she and Stefan shared. She still kept in touch with Bonnie and Elena but it was never going to be the same – and understandably so – what with everyone having their own lives to deal with.

Come to think of it, despite all his growth as a person, Klaus was a constant that remained over these years as someone she could depend on to completely be himself even if she didn’t necessarily make an effort to stay in touch with him, granted he had over a thousand years to live his life and become who he is.

Not anymore, she sorely reminded herself and sighed.

She was exhausted; aside for the long drive – which she enjoyed, honestly – her eyes were strained from all the tears and she felt like her brain was going to explode from all the thinking and reminiscing, if that was possible. The blood bag she didn’t have an appetite for earlier sounded really good right about now.

She made her way to the fridge and took out a bag, sipping straight out of it without bothering to pour it out into a glass or mixing it with some wine like she usually did. It never ceased to amaze her how blood could affect her body; the very moment the dark liquid touched her tongue she could feel the magic in it healing her, revitalizing her…giving her strength. Perhaps she could now admit that Klaus had been right in telling her that she did indeed prefer being a vampire because she liked feeling strong and fearless.

Feeling much better, she then flashed to the Boarding House to check on her daughters, as was a regular practice whenever she returned from her travels no matter how late. She constantly worried about them, as any mother would, but her worry was further amplified by the fact that her daughters were siphoner witches from the Gemini Coven who would, at the age of twenty-two, have to go through a ritual that involved them merging with one other, resulting in the death of one twin. And there was no way in hell she was going to let that happen to her babies. Most of her work travels were usually combined with searches for a solution to this impending problem. She had promised herself that she and Alaric would find a way to beat it and she planned to keep that promise…she had to.

She slowly opened the door to the room that her daughters shared and took a peek inside. She smiled to herself seeing Josie fast asleep on bed and…her breath caught in her throat when she noticed Lizzie’s bed was empty.

Caroline’s already heightened senses perked up when she heard a noise from the dining hall. Without a second thought she whooshed there only to see her other daughter in her sleepwear looking like a deer caught in the headlights.

“Mom??” Lizzie exclaimed, her eyes wide with surprise. Her hand was frozen in mid-air holding a spoonful of peanut butter she had seemingly just scooped from a jar on the table. “Why do you look like Moaning Myrtle after a really long day in the – ” she barely got her sentence out before she was surrounded by a bone-crushing hug from Caroline.

When she finally let go, Caroline stood back and gently stroked Lizzie’s blonde waves. “Hi, baby,” she said, smiling softly. “Hey Mommy,” Lizzie replied, giving a half-smile and feeling a little apprehensive about her mother’s mood as she set her spoon down. “So…how did things go…in New Orleans?”

Caroline stared at her for a moment while Lizzie waited for her to respond. All of a sudden Caroline’s expression shifted as if she just realized something.

“Oh my _GOD_! Lizzie, what are you even doing awake at this hour?! Are you okay? What happened? Is something wrong??” Caroline had the uncanny talent of being able to yell at someone without raising her voice – quite a useful skill to have when she was in a Boarding School full of sleeping students she didn’t want waking up.

“ _Relax_ Mom, I was just hungry and couldn’t sleep so I stepped out for a little snack,” Lizzie gestured to the open jar of peanut butter still sitting there. “I think the _real_ question is,” she said, leaning closer to her mother, “what is up with _you_?”

Caroline looked at her and simply shook her head. “Nothing honey, I’m fine. Now go and try getting some sleep before your day begins!”

Who was she kidding? She wasn’t really fine, not in the least.

“It’s Sunday tomorrow.”

“I don’t care, just go to bed already!”

“Ugh, fine Mom, I’m going, I’m going…”

“Good night honey,” Caroline kissed Lizzie on the forehead and sent her in the direction of her room. Just then, an idea came to her mind.

“Sweetie, hang on!” Caroline called to Lizzie, who turned around looking more puzzled than ever. “Do you still have your Prism with you?”

“You mean the crystal that lets me chit chat with my subconscious like a crazy person…” she paused as Caroline frowned at her, “… as part of my Therapy? Yeah, it’s on my night stand.”

“Please be a dear and get it for me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whaaat, Klaus is not dead? Or is he, kinda (that's the sound of a sunken ship slowly rising to the surface). Did Caroline's nostalgia give you the right KC throwback feels? Also, pardon if there's a mixture of American and British English when it comes to spellings, I'm still working that out. This is my very first Klaroline fic so I would love to hear what you guys think!


	2. In Memoriam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Klaus tries to figure out where he is and why. Caroline attempts to be honest with herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Great news, I'm shifting to daily updates for two weeks because all those chapters are ready to go (after which I'll return to weekly updates). Chapter 2 is up! Thanks for the kudos and those who shared their kind words - they encourage me to continue sharing this story with you. Heads up: This chapter isn't high on the KC feels scale because it is mainly meant to explain what's happening and will hopefully make things more clearer & keep you guys interested :) The fun part of writing this was keeping things as close to canon as possible and weaving things in that could honestly still be head canon. Hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it.
> 
> Disclaimer: I really don't own TVD, TO or Legacies. It would have been interesting if I did, but I really don't.

Klaus knew that the chances of him being in the Ancestral Plane were next to impossible despite seeming like the only explanation based on the looks of the place. This was not just because the Plane was supposedly deemed obsolete when the former Regent witch Vincent freed all the Ancestors from there so they could find real peace, but mainly because Klaus wasn’t a witch.

He began to consider possible reasons behind why this was happening. Perhaps it was because he was an Original whose mother was the most powerful witch in the world, he mused, and because of the dormant witch genes that he inherited from her. But if that was the case, wouldn’t it make sense that his other brothers Finn and Henrik be here as well? The only thing that set him apart from them was that he was a Hybrid. Perhaps that was the reason or maybe it had something to do with the fact that he had absorbed all the magic of the Hollow into him before he died.

Once again the uneasy feeling of not being in the know irked him. One way or the other, he was convinced there was magic of some kind involved if he had to be here. At least, that’s what he kept telling himself because he didn’t think he was ready to consider the alternative that his mind had already gone to – that this was probably his personal hell, being alone and in the dark forever…the worst part of that line of thought being that he felt somewhere in the back of his mind that he completely deserved it. A distant memory of Caroline once telling him she had caught herself wishing she could forget all the horrible things he had done but couldn’t brushed past his mind.

He shook his head. No, he thought to himself, there was no real reason for his spirit to linger on – he had said his goodbyes, completely accepted his fate without a hint of regret and with his heart full of love. Funny enough, he was sure of this much but unable to recall the moment of his actual death. How did he die and why was he here? Based on what he knew about death in over a thousand years of walking the earth, the people with unfinished business in the land of the living were the ones whose spirits had problems moving on and ended up getting stuck in a midway place like this. But then again, this was death, something he wasn’t too experienced with or had given much thought to due to the fact that he had always lived his life within the safety net of being the Immortal one who could never die. He let out a bitter laugh thinking about the irony of his situation. This was definitely a Hell of some kind.

Klaus had been walking all this while without paying much attention to his surroundings, lost in his thoughts. It was only then that he realized he had gone much further beyond the streets and was presently standing in front of a wrought-iron gate enclosing a compound with a tall, rather intimidating looking mansion. It had three storeys with numerous white columns, synonymous with New Orleans architecture in the early 1900’s. The place by itself was highly familiar to Klaus but it all came back to him when he saw the cursed object on the gate.

There was a vintage doll’s head propped up on the one of the grills of the gate, facing toward the house.

He was at the Dowager Fauline Cottage.

“I see you found me,” a feminine voice came from behind Klaus and he stiffened. He was just coming to terms with the fact that he was alone in this godforsaken place and had given up hope that he’d hear another person again. He slowly turned around to see a young woman with blonde hair in tight ringlets around her face. Based on her outfit and her overall style, she looked like she had just dropped in from the early 1900’s. Klaus narrowed his eyes, studying her. The girl saw Klaus’ glances and gave a melodious laugh.

“Who am I kidding? You didn’t find me, I brought you here!” she said, giggling. As bright a smile as she had on her face, Klaus had a sneaking suspicion she had bad intentions and continued to look at her with distrust. If this witch or spirit or whatever she is, was responsible for bringing him here, he needed to know who she was and why she was doing this. She would have to answer all his questions or he would force it out her, however he could.

“Who are you?” he asked bluntly, needing her to understand that he wasn’t someone to be messed with. He figured she must be someone from his past but didn’t recognize her at all. But then again, he couldn’t have gained the title of ‘The Great Evil’ if hadn’t done his share of killing more people than he could care enough to keep track of or remember. The girl continued to stare back at him, a smug look on her face that itched Klaus’ nerves.

“Don’t strain yourself, you wouldn’t remember me,” she stated matter-of-factly. “We didn’t really get the chance to meet face to face and _socialize_.” She walked closer to Klaus, her petite frame forcing her face up as her light blue eyes pierced into his stormy blue ones. “But oh, did your actions have an impact on my life.” Her voice slightly shook as she said that.

Klaus’ patience was starting to wear thin. “I’m asking one last time. Who. The Bloody Hell. Are. You.” Klaus emphasized every pause with a step towards her, never for a moment breaking eye contact. The mystery girl was now close enough that if she didn’t start talking soon, he could just as easily wring her neck.

The girl responded by raising her eyebrows at him. “ANSWER ME!” Klaus yelled, his frustration evident in his voice.

“Or what?” the girl asked confidently, seeming completely unfazed by Klaus’ outburst. “We’re in the Well which means I’m already dead. What are you going to do, make me deader?” She took a few steps back, walked closer to the gate and ran her hands over the doll head perched on it.

Klaus’ eyes widened. “So I was right, we are in the Ancestral Plane, then,” he said, hoping his voice didn’t betray the hint of relief he felt upon hearing her confirming his hunch. Now considerably more confident with his theories, he began to infer further. “I can’t see any reason to currently be in front of the Dowager Fauline Cottage other than the fact that you have an association of some sort with it.” The girl was silent, so Klaus continued his train of deduction. “You, sweetheart, must be one of Kol’s witches from back in…1914 if I’m not wrong, and trust me I rarely am,” he now had a smug smirk on his face as he continued. “Ah yes, I remember back then when he had his witchy tag team who were supposed to aid him with my downfall using the Paragon diamond belonging to poor, old Dowager Fauline.” Klaus guessed he must be on the right track as the girl didn’t make any move to deny anything he was saying. He decided to provoke her further into talking. “Which means Kol was using you for his own purposes – no need to take offense, that’s just Kol being Kol – and probably even took you up as his little plaything…” Klaus’ voice was now low as he walked closer to her speaking slowly, “…whispering sweet nothings in your ear as he furthered his objective of getting back at me.” The girl’s eyes narrowed a little and he went on. “Which means you are either Astrid…” he smiled as he saw her eyes widen, “or that Claire witch…Mary-Alice. I’m going to go with Mary-Alice, you look more like a Mary-Alice,” he finished in a snarky tone.

“Enough!” she cried out – “Oh she speaks!” Klaus said triumphantly – “How dare you,” she spluttered, “How dare you talk to me like that after what you did to me and my friend!”

“Sorry love, but you can’t blame me for your misfortune when it is you who committed a grave error by siding with Kol in his ill-informed war against me,” reasoned Klaus. “You and your friend put yourselves in an unfortunate position where I had to take the necessary precautions to look after myself and my family, as I always have.”

Mary-Alice scoffed. “You must be delusional if you think that frees you from being responsible for my death and that of countless others,” she spat. “Ever since I got here I dreamt of the day I could get my revenge on you for locking me up in that house, leaving me there to die.” She shrugged. “Of course, I knew it was an empty dream considering you were an Immortal being and even in the actual event of your death, the fact that you aren’t a witch meant we would never even cross paths…until now, that is.”

“I must admit,” said Klaus, “I am rather curious how you managed to make that happen. Moreover…” he glanced at her curiously, “…how are _you_ even here? Last I heard, my sister Freya’s dear friend Vincent lost a witch close to him and set all the witches’ spirits here free so that his friend could find peace instead of being stuck in this dreadful place, powerless and alone.” He looked at her pointedly on the last three words as if to put the thought into her head as well.

“It’s true,” Mary-Alice admitted finally, “Vincent did manage to help all the souls in the Ancestral Plane move on. He did the right thing and everyone got out… _except_ those of us in the Dowager Fauline Cottage.” Klaus raised his eyebrows and Mary-Alice continued. “I’m sure you remember back then I had set a boundary spell around the cottage to protect us while Kol, Astrid and I searched for the Paragon diamond in our quest to fashion a weapon that could put you down.” Klaus stared at her, almost looking amused while she continued her story. “When you found out and decided to punish us by compelling a witch to reverse the boundary spell and trap us in the house forever, it somehow reinforced the spell to a point that it maintained its magic even in this plane, making the cottage immune to Vincent’s magic and thus leaving us behind while everyone else was free to pass on. In fact it was only after the spirits were set free that the boundary spell wore off right and we were even able to step out of the house – not that any of the other patrons were in the right mind to appreciate this fact,” she added pensively.

“Well…that’s unfortunate.” Klaus said and let out a deep breath. “Not that it matters anymore, but for all that has transpired between us and for my actions that caused you pain…my apologies.”

Mary-Alice looked at Klaus like he’d sprouted a second head; this was not at all how she expected this conversation to go.

“Did the Great Evil Niklaus Mikaelson just tell me that he’s sorry?” she retorted, gaping at him.

Klaus simply shrugged. “What can I say? I’ve had it on good authority that I’m not the same man I was back in 1914.”

“That wasn’t a man, that was a monster,” she said coldly and Klaus didn’t make a move to disagree with her. “But I suppose the rumors I had been hearing among the Ancestors are true and you have possibly changed; let’s just say evolved for the better, no one really changes all that much. Not to mention you’re a father now, too.”

A small smile came across Klaus’ face as he thought of his strong, beautiful daughter. She really was a sum of the best parts of him and Hayley. He missed her terribly but he really just wanted to pass on in peace – which brought him back to the burning question:

“Why am I really here, Mary-Alice?” he asked, his voice tired and softer than he had intended. “I know you wanted revenge but clearly my death wasn’t enough and there must be a bigger reason you took all this effort to bring me here instead of letting me find my peace. So tell me…” Klaus looked straight into her eyes and asked, “…what is it you really want from me?”

Mary-Alice’s icy stare seemed to thaw out a little at his tone. She took her time, pondering over her next words. She was pouting, wanting to stall her position of power over him for just a little longer. Klaus was starting to wonder whether she had actually heard him or not when she finally spoke.

“I want to make a deal.”

* * *

Caroline sat on a dusty chair on the balcony of the old mill on the Salvatore property. She was quite aware that this was a secluded spot where students came to engage in activities away from the prying eyes of the teachers – she and Alaric understood that Boarding schools could get stifling and generously gave them a little overtime to enjoy their little soirees before proceeding to arrive on the scene and break things up. She intended to utilize the benefits of the location’s privacy for her purposes this time, knowing that there wouldn’t be any students around at this time of night. At least, they shouldn’t be, she thought to herself. She looked at her phone and saw it was past three a.m. She placed her phone next to her and loosely clutched the magical prism she had taken from Lizzie on her lap. She sat there for a moment, uncertain how to go forward with her spontaneous idea now that she was going through with it. She had fully intended to kiss her girls’ goodnight and come straight home to shower and get a good night’s sleep herself after such a long, trying day.

But who was she kidding; she wasn’t going to get any sleep tonight – not with all these thoughts weighing in on her – so she figured if she had to talk to someone, might as well be to herself…in the least creepy way she could think of.

“You know, you will eventually have to talk to a real person,” said a gentle, oh-so-familiar voice and Caroline’s eyes closed briefly. She looked down at her prism to see it was glowing and turned to see the man she had married almost a decade ago and lost on the same day.

“Hi Stefan,” she said sadly. She gave a small smile, but her eyes gave away the pain that came from reliving memories of loved ones who were long gone. “No one else would be awake at this time,” she debated lamely, shrugging and avoiding eye contact with him.

“You do realize I’m a holographic representation of the subconscious part of your own mind, which means there’s no point in lying to me,” he said, smiling at her. God, how she missed his smile.

“I’m not even sure what I’m hoping to gain out of doing this,” she said, shaking her head.

“Of course, you do. You want to talk about Klaus.” Caroline’s eyes shot up and he continued, “Preferably to someone non-judgmental so you can sort out your feelings about him and get some much-needed closure you missed out on owing to his relatively premature death.”

“I remember him telling me once that as a vampire I have to adjust my perception of time,” Caroline recalled. “I guess I didn’t really imagine his death to be a reality I would ever have to face. He was supposed to be immortal, damn it!” her words came out frustrated and she took a deep breath to calm down.

“You’re crazy if you think that you should feel bad for ‘taking him for granted’ while he was alive; no one could have seen this coming.” Holographic Stefan pointed out. “Why didn’t you tell him how you felt?”

“Well, it’s _your_ fault! I just – ” She stopped mid-tirade on hearing her phone buzzing. She glanced at her phone screen and saw a new message.

Who on earth could be texting her at this hour, she wondered and pulled it up to see a short message from Rebekah:

He’s gone.

Caroline felt her insides go cold and suddenly all the time she spent today coming to terms with Klaus’ death felt like it got sucked into a black hole, resetting her mind back to some point before her acceptance. One single message burned through the little reserves of futile hope that she always had floating around in her head for times of extreme hopelessness. Perhaps it was the ‘light’ that Klaus always said he saw in her that kept her unrealistic optimism going so far.

Her body started to shake and she wanted to scream but when she opened her mouth, all that came out was a whispered ‘Oh!’ before her face scrunched up and tears began to pour down her cheeks.

* * *

Klaus fell silent. The witch’s request seemed suspiciously simple; making deals was what he was best at. Besides, it wasn’t like he had other options. He decided to hear the girl out and flashed his trademark smirk at her.

“Tell me how I can help you, sweetheart.”

“I’ll get to that,” she said, stepping towards him, “but first you need to remember.” She reached out and softly brought her delicate fingers to Klaus’ temple. Before he could react to her action, he saw a bright light and a sudden rush of memories came to him – his last precious hours with Hope, his last meal with his family, even the time he spent showing Caroline around his city till his last moments with his brother Elijah, leading up to their demise. Klaus gasped – the memories of his death and the events surrounding it overwhelmed him, eliciting stray tears down his face. His eyes darted all over, his hands raised as he tried to find his balance while the final missing pieces of his mind slowly fell into place.

“Wha – ” Klaus started, “Elijah, is he…where is he?”

“Oh, he’s at peace,” Mary-Alice replied, unmoved by Klaus’ apparent mental crisis, “You’re the only one I wanted to talk to anyway.” She plastered a smile on her face as she said that.

“Are you going to finally tell me why?” Klaus asked slowly, his voice now a low and steady whisper, “Or am I going to have to speed up the process and find better ways to extract answers out of you?”

“Spare me your empty threats – like I mentioned earlier, you can’t hurt me in here. Besides you’ve done enough in terms of ruining my life,” she said, rolling her eyes. “I’ll tell you why you’re here.” She pointed at his arms. “Take a look at your hands.”

Klaus stared at her suspiciously before stretching out his fingers and observing his palms. His eyes widened in horror as he noticed something he hadn’t paid attention to until now – the painfully familiar blue-green veins branched out all over his skin.

The Hollow was still within him.

“It’s not possible,” he growled, “I am DEAD!”

“Well it _is_ the oldest and most powerful magic in the world, not something you can simply shake off with something as trivial as death,” Mary-Alice stated while Klaus continued to glower at her. “Magic like that doesn’t just disappear into thin air on losing its host; where did you think it was going to go?”

“Honestly, I couldn’t care less as long as it wasn’t consuming my daughter from the inside,” Klaus admitted, “And if being stuck with the Hollow forever in my after-life where I can’t harm anyone is the price I’ve to pay for Hope’s safety and happiness, then so be it.”

Mary-Alice raised her eyebrows at Klaus and she had a strange expression on her face, almost like she was… impressed. “Wow,” she said, “maybe I was wrong and you really have changed.” Klaus was quiet, his arms crossed, looking away from her and she continued, “Well it’s too bad that you seem to have gotten comfortable with the idea of keeping the Hollow in you forever because our deal involves getting the magic out of you.” Klaus’ eyes snapped up at that and he looked straight at her.

“What are you talking about?” asked, his voice grated.

“Well, as you probably already know, the Hollow is magical power in its purest form, dark as it may be…” Mary-Alice explained, “…something this place is severely lacking as you can see.” She nodded at her surroundings. Klaus couldn’t disagree; the Ancestral Plane looked like a ghost town version of his city, pun intended.

“So, you’re saying, that I simply give you the Hollow magic and can then move on in peace,” Klaus inferred, narrowing his eyes at her. “What’s the catch?” he asked suspiciously and was immediately annoyed seeing she had burst into laughter.

“First of all,” she started, still catching her breath in between laughs, irritating Klaus even more, “the Hollow isn’t some birthday gift you didn’t like that you can just wrap and re-gift to someone else. It requires a complex spell involving some…changes to your situation,” she said, looking him up and down. Klaus couldn’t take it anymore.

“Listen _witch_ ,” he spat, “whatever it is you need in order to do this spell – my blood, my hair, even an arm or leg, I really don’t care – just bloody get on with it so I can finally get out of this damned place!”

Mary-Alice blinked at him and spoke calmly, “I think you misunderstand me, Niklaus Mikaelson. I don’t need you to donate anything to me for the spell.” She paused but continued just as she saw Klaus preparing to yell at her for stalling again.

“In order to be able to extract the magic out of you for good,” – she looked straight into Klaus’ eyes while saying this – “I need you to be walking in the land of the living.”

Klaus’ lips parted in surprise and he looked at her cautiously. “What are you saying, witch?” he growled.

“I’m saying… I’m going to have to bring you back to life.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DUN DUN DUNN And that my friends is how I plan to bring Klaus back into the picture. What do you think? The point of all this detail was to create a scenario for my version of TO Season 6 that was plausible enough to me. I hope the conversations Klaus had with Mary-Alice was a throwback to TO times (it sure was for me). If you're still wondering what's happening, in the words that Klaus told Caroline, 'It will all make sense eventually.' Hope you will stick around for more!
> 
> Glad to see some Kudos' coming in already, please send reviews my way too! I'd love to hear your thoughts :) See y'all tomorrow!


	3. Bargains with Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mary-Alice attempts to make a deal with Klaus. Rebekah mourns the death of her brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New Chapter as promised! I just want to say how happy I am to see Kudos, comments and bookmarks! It means a lot to me that you guys can relate to the story I want to tell!
> 
> There is a lot of important information revealed in this chapter BUT apologies in advance as it is on the shorter side because I wanted to narrate it organically and didn't want it to feel like a data dump. And of course, there are a few beloved KC throwbacks in there to keep you happy till then too!
> 
> Disclaimer: This whole TVD universe...nah, not mine.

Klaus stared at Mary-Alice and a second later he was the one bursting into laughter.

“Looks like all this time in the Dowager Fauline nuthouse actually did drive you mad!” he laughed out loud while Mary-Alice glared at him.

“Just so you know,” she affirmed, “I was the only sane person in that place and I spent my entire life – and afterlife for that matter – caring for those who ended up there. Also, I’m completely serious about the spell.”

Klaus had stopped laughing halfway through her defense and looked at her. “You are serious.” He stated.

“I’m the spirit of a witch stuck in the Ancestral Plane with nowhere else to go. Can you think of one good reason I could have to joke about this?”

Klaus was quiet and considered her words. “Why?” he asked curiously.

She looked confused. “Why, what?”

“Why do this?” Klaus clarified, “You just laid out your hopeless predicament to me a minute ago and now you tell me you want power like it’s going to be of any use to you.”

Mary-Alice sighed. “You probably have no way of knowing this, but the Ancestral Well wasn’t always this way. This place truly used to be an afterlife paradise for witches once upon a time, in harmony with the Ancestors who served as sources of knowledge, magic and support to those who were alive and practicing on earth.” Klaus looked on, waiting for her to continue.

“However,” she went on, “magic is all about balance in nature and when that gets disrupted, things start to go wrong. Over time, the living witches started to take more magic than they needed and that made the dead ones weaker, resulting in this.” She gestured around her while Klaus continued to listen.

“When the witch Vincent Griffith brought his friend Ivy here to prove to her she wasn’t going to be at peace after her death, this is what he saw. In fact, he did what he could by setting the existing witch spirits free from here so that they, along with Ivy, could be at peace. That spell luckily had the side effect of breaking down our boundary, but you can imagine our surprise when we stepped out to see we were the only ones left behind.”

“Vincent’s spell may have worked for the spirits already existing on this plane but that didn’t stop the ones who died after from coming in. Over time this place is bound to become filled with aimless spirits once more…and I don’t want that happening all over again.”

Klaus looked at her carefully. “So what, you ‘have a dream’ to restore this place back to its glory days? And I’m supposed to believe you’re doing this out of the goodness of your heart?”

“Of course not. The Hollow may be getting absorbed by the Plane but I am the one who will be in control of it, essentially making me the most powerful, or dare I say Ruler, of this Realm.” There was sparkle in her eyes as she spoke. “Basically, the Hollow’s magic would serve as an unlimited source of energy that could power this plane forever and the Ancestral Well could once again be the haven for the spirits of the witches to spend their afterlife…with me in charge, of course.”

Klaus chuckled in disbelief, shaking his head. “What I find absolutely ridiculous – and I’m not sure if it’s just you being daft – is that with all this power at your disposal, you would still choose to do this. When instead you can, say, take your revenge on me, bring your friends’ sanity back, or even better escape this place yourself and live out the life that you missed out on.”

Mary-Alice shrugged, “I died a long time ago and I’ve long come to terms with it. I’ve no connections left back among the living. Well, there’s Kol but he’s with another Claire witch now, so…” She absently tugged at her golden curls. “Anyway, even if I did go back, I’d eventually end up here upon my death and I’d be back to where I started.” She gave a weary smile. “Now do you see the bigger picture?”

Klaus rubbed his chin and looked back at her, hoping his eyes didn’t betray the flicker of conviction. But he had to ask her the burning question.

“Do you even know how to get the magic out of me?” he questioned, finding it far-fetched that a mediocre witch like her would be capable of accomplishing something this complex.

Mary-Alice scoffed. “I know you haven’t known me long Niklaus Mikaelson, but your lack of faith in my powers does surprisingly prick my feelings, just a little bit. I would have thought that the fact I was one of the witches handpicked by Kol in the effort to put you down would serve as some sort of testament to my skills in the magic department.” She wiggled her eyebrows at him.

Klaus chuckled at her presumption. “My brother wasn’t really known for making the best choices…romantic or otherwise,” he smirked and Mary-Alice rolled her eyes. “However, he did have more of a penchant for magic than some of my other siblings so I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, not that I currently seem to have the luxury of choice.”

“Good.” She said simply. “I’ll also have you know that I spent a long time here with the Ancestors learning from them and you won’t _believe_ the kind of things I found in the collection at the Cottage that could prove helpful to this cause.” Klaus found it amusing that Mary-Alice felt the need to continue defending her value to him even though she clearly had the upper hand here. Perhaps it was this neediness that Kol had abused to pursue his scheme with her all those years ago. Klaus only realized just then that while his mind had taken a tangent Mary-Alice was still talking and had just asked him a question.

“So, do we have a deal or not?” She had her hand extended out to him. Klaus glanced at her palm and back at her face and stepped forward, narrowing his eyes.

“I don’t see why not. However…” – Mary-Alice raised her eyebrows – “this seems a little too easy and you still haven’t answered my earlier question, sweetheart,” his voice was now a menacing growl, “What’s the catch?”

The blonde witch hesitated at his change in tone and slowly lowered her outstretched hand. “Wow,” she said, sarcasm creeping into her voice as if in an attempt to cover some of the fear she was suddenly feeling, “A tad paranoid, aren’t we?”

“I’m going to take that as a compliment considering the number of times it was that aspect of my personality that kept me and my family safe for over a thousand years,” Klaus said smugly. “So know that when I feel that a situation feels too much like a win-win, it’s probably too good to be true.” He flashed an all-knowing evil grin at her. “You said that you will take the Hollow’s magic out of me and I can go back to my family.” He came closer and glared at her. “What is it you’re not telling me, little Mary-Alice?” He emphasized on her name in a slow whisper and his lips curved into another smile that sent shivers down the witch’s spine, despite knowing he couldn’t cause her any real harm. She let out a deep breath.

“I wasn’t lying about anything I said. As promised, I will take the Hollow’s magic out of you and the Ancestral Plane will absorb all of it.” Her tone was genuine and Klaus could see that. “And for this spell to work, you or in this case the Hollow’s host body, will have to be out of this plane and somewhere it can’t reabsorb itself back into you, namely the land of the living.” She paused and Klaus looked at her apprehensively, waiting for the punch line. “However, when I bring you back to life…you will be back to your original form.” She paused and looked back at Klaus, waiting for the backlash that was bound to come. Klaus however looked unperturbed.

“I don’t see what the issue is here so far,” he said, looking at her to elaborate further. Mary-Alice frowned at his reaction and her eyes widened as realization hit her.

“Oh dear! I see how what I said could be misconstrued, erm,” she said with a nervous laugh while Klaus looked like he wanted to choke her, “What I meant is that you would be back to your _original_ form, the way you were before your mother used her magic to turn you into monsters.”

Klaus stared at her as what she said dawned upon him. She then said the words out loud that irrevocably confirmed what he was thinking.

“You would go back as a human.”

* * *

“Who are you texting at this hour? You should get some rest.”

Rebekah looked up from her phone at her lover Marcel, who appeared very worried as she rubbed away her tears for what felt like the hundredth time. She kept her phone aside and snuggled closer to him in their bed.

“Just someone I thought I should inform about Nik’s passing.” Her voice choked as she said her brother’s name. “I just lost two of my brothers today,” she whispered into his smooth chest, more tears spilling down her cheeks. Marcel tightened his arms around her bringing her closer.

“After everything that this family has been through, there couldn’t have been a more honorable way for them to go,” he said softly, stroking her hair. “And Hope is safe now thanks to their sacrifice.”

“Yes, but at what cost?” Rebekah whimpered, “She lost both her parents in such a short amount of time, she’s going to be feeling so lonely. I didn’t even have a great relationship with my parents and still felt something when they died so I couldn’t possibly imagine what she’s going through.”

“True, but she’s got us, and Hope knows that,” Marcel reminded her. “Always and Forever remember?” He brushed his thumb across her cheekbone and she softly smiled back. “Hope’s stronger than any of us know and think. I’ve seen it firsthand,” he said, reassuring her.

“You’re right, my niece is amazing,” she agreed, her smile wider now.

* * *

Klaus was silent for a moment, swallowing as he let Mary-Alice’s words sink in and he realigned his options in his head.

“No,” he said flatly. “No bloody chance.”

Mary-Alice stared at him, wide-eyed. “No? What do you mean ‘No’?”

“You heard me, witch,” Klaus scowled at her. “No deal.”

“Unbelievable,” she groaned, giving him a disappointed look. “After all this talk of wanting your daughter to be happy, you’re completely okay with taking away her chance to have her father back again?”

“As a _human_.” Klaus reminded her. “What’s the point of going back to my daughter if I can’t play a father’s primary role as protector of my child?” He looked up, shaking his head. “Simply being my daughter has led her to inherit all the enemies that my family has made over the years and if they decide to strike, which they inevitably will at some point I’m sure of it, I’ll just end up being a helpless liability!”

“Tsk tsk…” Mary-Alice shook her head at him. “Clearly a thousand years of being an Original Hybrid has gotten to your head and you’ve lost all perspective on what you have to offer as a regular person in the process.” She looked at him curiously. “Are you saying in all your years as a supernatural creature, there hasn’t been a single moment you wished to be human?”

Klaus got a serious case of déjà vu upon hearing her words; they took him back to the memory of the other blonde who had asked him the same question years ago at a Miss Mystic Falls Pageant.

Her smooth skin glowing in the sun, her golden waves whipping about in the breeze, her contagious smile and her earnest eyes when she asked him about a time in his life that he thought about being human.

His confession to her that he did have a moment like that while he was on a trek in the Andes.

Telling her the story of the hummingbird with its tiny heart, pattering away like a machine gun in order to survive.

His sweet Caroline.

He closed his eyes and thought fondly of his last memory of her; the moment they had their last kiss – how she broke away and he kept his eyes closed a little longer so he could memorize that kiss as best as he could to remember for the rest of his doomed life.

That was also the moment he painfully realized that she would be _his_ last love when he had intended to be hers, a promise he had made to himself that would now forever remain broken.

For some inexplicable reason he wished he could feel her hands in his right now, assuring him he was making the right choice or, knowing Caroline, arguing with him about why he should consider all options first. Thinking about her scolding him again with a frown that she seemed to reserve only for conversations with him brought a smile to his face.

“Did you hear me?” Mary-Alice’s voice scratched into his reverie, bringing him back to his current state. “What are you smiling about? Do you have a story about your human moment or not?”

“No,” Klaus said shortly, not in the mood to share, “And stop pretending like you suddenly care about my humanity when I know all you want is the Hollow magic for yourself.”

“Oh, I’m not pretending. I thought I was pretty clear that’s all I wanted from the very beginning.” She shrugged at him. “Unfortunately, in order to do this, I need you to agree to do this of your own free will; I’m not a fan of compelling people to do things they don’t want to do.” She looked away as she said this, and Klaus sensed there was a story there. He also sensed that he probably wasn’t someone she wanted to talk about it with.

“Alright…I’ll reconsider. Even though I think it’s pointless now with me and my family having said our goodbyes and moved on.” He sighed. “As much as I want to be with Hope, she is better off without me around.”

The witch’s eyes softened, sensing pain in Klaus’ voice. “Let me convince you otherwise,” she said gently, holding out her hand.

Klaus had been staring at the floor, but his eyes shot up at her offered hand. “What?” He asked, not sure if he understood her.

“Let me show you,” she persisted, shaking her hand at him, “that your family is definitely not better off without you.”

Klaus raised his eyebrows. “Who are you supposed to be, Dickens’ Ghost of Christmas Present?”

Mary-Alice scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Why not. Just come with me!”

Klaus let out a small chuckle. “I was only wondering if I should have cause to worry; Dickens was a dark man, as I had pointed out to a friend once.” He slowly stepped forward nevertheless and took her hand.

Almost instantly he felt a strong pull like he was being sucked into a large vortex of white light. His eyes squeezed shut in response and everything went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As short as that was, I hope that was an interesting read! Klaus as a human, what do you think? Is he still the power-hungry villain beneath all this who would never consider that option or has he evolved enough over the years to maybe go for it? Also, did anyone else get the 'Christmas Carol' reference or am I the only Dickens nerd here?
> 
> I hope the story direction gives you all a better reason to follow even though I'm just getting started here. And please share your reviews - not only do I love to hear from you, it also fuels up the enthusiasm to continue. Cheers!


	4. The Ghost of Niklaus' Present

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mary-Alice tries to convince Klaus to take her deal by showing him how his loved ones are responding with his death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, it's UPDATE time! I just want to send special love and hugs to the ones who took the time out to review and lend their support..it really does make my day and encourage me to keep writing this story :) So basically, if you enjoy this story, spare me a Kudos or Bookmark this story if you enjoy it as I wouldn't want you amazing people to miss out on my writing adventure! Okay, too much NOTING, I'm just gonna shut up and let y'all read the chapter i.e. the real reason you're here!
> 
> Disclaimer: I am the King of the TVD universe...not.

Klaus opened his eyes and found himself outside a window. Looking in, he saw it was dim and could make out the silhouettes of two people snuggled together in bed – how he missed his Hybrid vision right now – and as his eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness, he thought he recognized…"

"That's your sister and your protégé in there," came Mary-Alice's voice from next to him. He cleared his throat and turned to look at her.

"Exactly, that's my baby sister in there." Klaus smirked. "I didn't really think you were the type to be into voyeurism."

"Stop being such a pervert and just listen," Mary-Alice snapped at him.

Klaus rolled his eyes and tuned in. "This better not be some wasted pillow talk involving my sister that I won't be able to forget later."

He spoke from experience; living together in a family of Originals, everyone with their own powers of supernatural hearing, it was hard to escape the sounds of some of the activities happening in the house. Over time, they had either gotten used to it or chose to shut it off completely to give the other person a semblance of privacy.

It was ironic when he thought about the number of times that he had told Rebekah to shut up; here he was, on another plane, straining his ears to hear her talk.

"I miss them already," said Rebecca in a pained voice that made it obvious to Klaus that she had been crying. He felt a tightening in his chest and she continued to speak.

"All these years, all the times we spent apart…none of it prepared me for this," she said in between sobs, "Just knowing that they were alive somewhere was enough to give me a feeling of safety and belonging in a world that just otherwise seemed to pass me by."

Klaus heard a notification tone from a phone and some shuffling. That's when he heard Marcel speak.

"Did your friend get the message?" he asked.

"I wouldn't necessarily call her my friend, but yes, she did."

Klaus wondered for a moment who this friend might be but was stopped from going off on a tangential train of thought as Marcel and Rebekah continued to converse.

"Is she okay?" he heard Marcel ask. He didn't hear Rebekah's response, so he assumed she either nodded or shook her head. "Are _you_ ok?" came Marcel's voice again.

"You know I'm not," she replied. He heard soft sniffles. "I went back to the Square, Marcel. I said my goodbyes to my brothers and walked away…and I went back. It was like I wouldn't be able to truly accept their death till I saw it with my own eyes, I don't know what I was expecting to feel." Klaus was taken aback at Rebekah's confession; he couldn't imagine how that must have been like for her.

"I went back and all I saw was a pile of ash and burning clothes, I just, I thought maybe I could take it back with me so I could give them a proper burial, I don't know what I was…" He couldn't make out the rest of what she was saying but was sure she was crying. Klaus wasn't sure how to feel about what he was witnessing before him.

"Why _did_ you text Caroline?" he heard Marcel ask. Klaus' eyes widened in surprise. What was Marcel talking about? Was she the 'friend' Rebekah was talking about earlier?

"I had just seen my brothers' remains burning on the streets of New Orleans," came Rebekah's reply, "and I think…I just had to tell someone about it; someone outside the family, just a sound board for me to share the saddest news of my life with, without having to expect consolations or overbearing condolences of any kind. Does that make sense?"

"Not really," said Marcel, and Klaus heard Rebekah's soft laughter and there was silence for a few moments before Marcel spoke up again.

"What do you think your brothers would want you to do now?"

"I'm sure Elijah would tell me to stop being a baby and get some sleep." Klaus could almost hear a smile in Rebekah's words now. "As for Nik, he would probably want me to go and check on Hope again."

Klaus heard them both share light laughter. "Bloody hell, Nik I was going to ask you to give me away at my wedding!" Rebekah was laughing now and Klaus couldn't help the tiny smile that it brought to his face.

"Not Elijah?" Marcel asked and Klaus couldn't be sure if it was surprise in his voice or if he was teasing.

"Hey, Elijah was Freya's first choice for that role at her wedding…Nik will always be mine." Klaus' throat went dry at Rebekah's words. "Also, don't tell anyone," her voice lowered to a whisper, "he was always my favourite brother…and yes, even after that time he was sure he wanted to kill me."

There was a pause and she continued, "I know Nik made the most honorable sacrifice for his daughter and that's a noble thing…but how selfish is it of me to sometimes wish he didn't die and could just be here with all of us?"

Klaus' eyes filled up and tears threatened to fall as he heard Marcel convince her it isn't selfish and that she should get some sleep now. Slowly the voices began to fade out and the window went out of focus. It was then that he remembered that Mary-Alice had been standing there next to him all this while.

"Ready for our next stop?" she asked, in an eerily cheerful way.

Rebekah's words were still floating around in Klaus' head. "Just bloody get on with it, witch," he spat, irritated with the delight that the witch seemed to be getting from these events.

"Just because you're the Great Evil doesn't mean you have to be rude," Mary-Alice rolled her eyes, turning back to him and offering her hand again.

Another spiral of light away and they reached the very place he was dreading being taken to.

The Abattoir. Klaus took a moment to absorb his presence back in his home, still reeling from his last blast from the past. Or was it the present? He wasn't even sure if these visions were real or if they were something the damned witch cooked up to influence him into agreeing to become human again.

Convinced that this whole exercise was just going to get worse for him, Klaus turned to Mary-Alice. "Listen to me _witch_ , I have absolutely no interest in being here. I don't care to see how everyone's doing. I don't want to hear about the different ways they miss me or how they don't. Just take me back."

"Oh, come now, this is most entertainment I've had in years, it's the least you owe to me," Mary-Alice teased as Klaus glared at her, "and besides, the next person is someone who actually spent a lot of time with us in the Cottage – most of the time was spent sleeping but nevertheless."

Klaus started to argue with her but was interrupted by the voice of his oldest sister Freya. He turned to follow her voice and only then realized he was standing in her room, where she appeared to be pacing and having a late-night conversation with her wife Keelin, who was sitting on the edge of their bed.

"Of course, I'm not okay," Freya was saying, "But I am grateful." She took Keelin's hands. "I'm grateful that I got the chance to be accepted as a sister to both Klaus and Elijah before they passed." Keelin was quiet, simply smiling back at her.

"And even though Niklaus took a little more convincing," she added with a soft chuckle, "I like to think our bond strengthened over the few years I had with him…and that he knew that I would have laid down my life for him…and Hope." She fell silent and Klaus felt a weight upon his heart as he watched Freya swallowing her sobs. The emotional silence was rudely interrupted by Mary-Alice's voice.

"I don't remember her being this talkative while she was with us," she said, scratching her head. Klaus turned and glowered at her.

"Are you done?" he growled. She laughed at him.

"But we haven't even gotten to the best part yet!" Mary-Alice said, hopping and clapping excitedly. If Klaus thought there was any point, he would have strangled the witch right then and there. Before his mind could conjure more colorful ways to kill her, his sister spoke up again.

"I miss them so much already," Freya finally said, coming to stand in front of her wife. "It feels like I only just got my family back after so long and now…Losing Finn was hard but after all this time together, just knowing I'm never going to see Elijah & Niklaus again makes me feel…"

"I know," Keelin said softly, taking Freya's hands in hers and squeezing them.

Freya then proceeded to sit next to her, not letting go for a moment. "There's something else I wanted to talk to you about," she said softly.

"What is it?" Keelin's eyes looked at her with worry. Freya smiled at her.

"Nothing to worry about. It's just…now that Vincent has finally agreed to be the donor for our child, I was wondering – and I know I might be getting ahead of myself in asking this – that if we have a boy…" She paused for a moment to look straight into Keelin's eyes. "It would make me very happy if we could name him Nik."

Klaus froze.

"That's great," Keelin agreed and they smiled at each other, "But now I wanna hear the thousand names you have listed for if it's a girl!" The two women burst into laughter and the rest of the conversation faded out.

Klaus felt numb. Rebekah wanted him to give her away at her wedding. Freya was planning to name her child after him.

But they would move on. They would be fine, he told himself. Death happened to people every day. As an Original Hybrid he had avoided the consequences that came with death long enough.

"Penny for your thoughts?" came the dreaded voice of Mary-Alice.

"You know," Klaus started, swallowing his emotions and looking at his travel companion with an ominous look in his eyes, "I was ready to take the deal at the beginning of this grand masquerade but these ridiculous visions of yours are doing little to persuade me." Mary-Alice coolly looked at him and he continued, "As a matter of fact, all these shows you put up have only proven to me that they are moving on just fine without me." His voice was getting more menacing by the minute. "So, take. Me. Back."

"First of all," the blonde witch began defiantly, her curls bouncing as she spoke, "These aren't visions, they are events that actually unraveled right after yours and Elijah's deaths. And secondly, Niklaus Mikaelson, you are clearly in denial." Klaus' scowled at her, but she went on. "I watched you while you watched your family. You _know_ if you had the chance you would go back to be with them and keep the family together. And that's exactly what I am offering you."

Klaus was silent, not bothering to deny what Mary-Alice was saying. He hated that she seemed to see right through him. He especially hated that she might be right. His train of thought about all the other things he hated got disrupted when Mary-Alice said, "Whatever doubts you're having, I'm sure a visit to the other currently occupied room in this house will seal the deal for us." Klaus' eyes widened as realization dawned upon him and they instantly shut in anticipation of another zap as soon as the witch grabbed his hand. Upon opening his eyes, he immediately knew where he was before his vision completely cleared.

Her back was turned to him, her long brown hair shifting slightly with her hand's movements as she dabbed her brush on a large canvas set in front of her. Klaus could see she was working on the family portrait she had started on while he was still alive.

His beloved daughter Hope. Klaus felt a swell of pride as he watched her silently work, every brush stroke made with purpose, every colour aptly captured. He couldn't see her face, but she appeared to be calm and composed as she went about with her art.

Klaus continued to watch her for a while longer, grateful that Mary-Alice didn't bother him with her remarks this time. He observed as she cleaned her brushes and put them aside, seemingly done for the time being. Klaus was about to ask Mary-Alice why he wanted her to see this when Hope turned around to climb into her bed.

Her eyes were puffed and swollen, like she had been crying for hours. Even as she dimmed the lights to go to bed, Klaus could see the evidence of dried tears across her cheeks. He couldn't bear to see his daughter like this and was about to ask Mary-Alice to get him away from there when he heard Hope's voice, no louder than a soft whisper.

"I don't know if you can hear me, but I thought you should know I feel like crap right now," Hope's words came out in between sniffles and she hugged her pillow tighter to her face.

Klaus felt like his throat was swollen and his eyes filled up, watching her as she continued her one-sided conversation.

"Because I honestly can't think of anyone else apart from me being responsible for both my parents being dead. Do you know how that feels?"

She let out a heavy sob and Klaus choked out a tear, continuing to listen.

"And the funny part is, I'm not even supposed to exist! I'm the living breathing proof of a supernatural loophole," she proclaimed, letting out a short laugh which slowly advanced into more crying.

"I hate feeling like this. I know you told me to be brave but it's _so_ hard, I don't know if I can do this…"

Klaus looked at her feeling helpless, longing to hold her, comfort her.

"I really miss you, Mom."

Klaus' lips parted like he wanted to say something to her but held back since Hope wouldn't hear it anyway. He turned to Mary-Alice, exasperated, "She's just a girl who misses her mother. There's nothing I can do to help her with that."

The witch simply raised her palm at him saying, "Be patient."

Klaus turned back to see his daughter, not sure how much more of this he could take without feeling like his heart was breaking into a thousand pieces.

Hope took a deep breath and continued. "Mom, I know we talk everyday but the reason I feel worse on this particular night is that…well you probably know by now, Dad's gone too." Her voice choked as she went on. "Maybe he's at peace with you, I don't know, but basically because of me, this one-way Facetime is going to have to be with Dad as well from now on." She laughed half-heartedly at her own attempt to lighten her mood.

"I just wish he hadn't left me behind like this, all alone to deal with the world," she said, fresh tears staining Hope's face and soaking into her pillow. "I don't care if he yells at me when he thinks I'm being stubborn. I don't care if he scares away any future boyfriends I may have" – Klaus let out a tearful chuckle at this – "and I really don't care if he sometimes gets so overprotective that I want to break something. I'd rather have all of that than feel this sickening hole in my heart that remains because he isn't here."

"I know I have all these thoughts in my head because, even with all the last words and goodbyes full of love, I guess I'm still processing. Maybe one day when I reach a point of full acceptance, I will be able to let Dad join this conversation." And with that, Hope's eyes shut as sleep took her. Klaus was speechless but managed to breathe out an "I love you, Hope," and the room slowly fell out of focus.

Mary-Alice was silent as she transported herself and Klaus out of there, back to the gates of the Dowager Fauline Cottage. Klaus felt like he was being tortured with a kind of pain he had never experienced before and never thought he would be this relieved to return to this horrible place. He made a decision and turned to Mary-Alice, his voice tired.

"Alright, I accept. Are you done putting me through Hell or can we just make this deal and move forward?"

"Glad to hear you've finally come to your senses!" Mary-Alice grinned at him, "Fine, we can go ahead with the deal. Although, I _was_ planning on taking you to one more location as a last resort in case you still didn't agree with me."

Klaus gave her a murderous look, convinced she was messing with him to frustrate him even more than he already was. "You're bluffing," he asserted. "You covered every one of my family members…well, except Kol and I'm pretty sure he's fine without me. So unless the witch Vincent or the other Claire witch Davina suddenly had a change of heart towards me, I don't see my death having a major impact on anyone else so I honestly don't care."

"Well that's too bad because this person has a lot to say about _you_ ," Mary-Alice pointed out, leaving Klaus with a curious look on his face. "Aren't you forgetting someone?"

He wasn't. There was, in fact, another name very clear in his mind but he knew that her being affected enough by his death to warrant a visit with this witch was nothing more than wishful thinking.

That didn't stop him from having a glimmer of hope all the same.

"Caroline." He breathed out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooh, glimmer of hope indeed. Do you think Klaus has made his decision or he requires more convincing? Or will his need to have all the information available to him drive his curiosity? Hope you guys enjoyed the little Legacies seeds I sowed to keep things as canon-ish as possible; I know I'm definitely having fun with it!
> 
> Reviews are Wumpa fruit and I'm Crash Bandicoot. Share your thoughts please! :)


	5. Sweet Caroline

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Klaus is honest with Mary-Alice about seeing Caroline's memory and he makes a very important decision after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can I just start by saying how touched I am by the love I'm getting for this fic so far...you guys are awesome! It's your kind words that keep me writing and I love knowing the different aspects of the story that you appreciate too :)
> 
> This chapter is - heads up - emotion-packed. It was a tough one for me to write and if it gives you the same feels it gave me while I was writing it, I recommend keeping a box of tissues on standby.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own any of this TVD business, I just like pretending I do.

"That took you long enough," said Mary-Alice, her tone sardonic, "I was starting to wonder if you even care about this girl." Klaus growled at her.

"Never EVER question what I feel with regards to Caroline again," he said, his face twisting into a menacing scowl. Normally, he would never have permitted himself a response that might in any way expose his vulnerable side to an enemy, but for once, he really didn't care. Mary-Alice looked surprised, not expecting that strong a reaction, and simply nodded.

"Take me to her." Klaus said suddenly, breaking out of his angry daze.

"What?"

"You said you wanted to take me to one more location. You said you wanted entertainment. Pick your reason, I don't bloody care. Just take me there, I…" Klaus heavily exhaled as he tried not to let his anguish show while making his demand, "I'd like to see her," he finally said.

Klaus wasn't oblivious to the fact there was no real reason for him to visit Caroline's memory since he had already made up his mind about going back to life as a human. But the chance to see her once more – in case things went south – was not an opportunity he wanted to pass up, if he was being honest with himself. He mentally chalked his actions up to be the desperation of a dying man – so to speak – grasping at a straw; he inexplicably needed, almost craved, to see her right now, as he had admitted so to Mary-Alice. After all the relentless bouts of sadness and pain that came from being forced to witness his family in mourning, he longed for something to ease some of his torment.

A distant memory where he had first expressed his interest in Caroline telling her it's because she's beautiful, strong and full of light came back to him, reinforcing in his mind that a touch of the glow from Caroline's everlasting radiance was just what he needed to hopefully dispel, even temporarily, some of the darkness around him.

"Please, Mary-Alice," he spoke again, his voice now a hoarse whisper, "I realize, now that you know of my interest in this vision you would be tempted to give it a miss in order to prolong my suffering as a means of continuing your vendetta towards me. And I wholly understand your need to do so."

He stepped up to the witch and put his arms on her shoulders, while she stood still and warily looked back at him.

"I implore you to let me see her, especially if these are to be my last memories should something go wrong with your spell…" – Mary-Alice opened her mouth to speak but Klaus gave her a look that silenced her and he continued – "…although I'd be lying if I said I wasn't afraid to know if Caroline mourned me or not because I…"

He stopped himself from saying what he had never allowed himself to say out loud, for both his and Caroline's sake, despite being common knowledge between the two of them. He wondered why he was baring his soul to this witch who he didn't know or like. He also wondered if this is what it's going to be like as a human, with weaker impulse control in terms of emotions.

"You love her." Mary-Alice said, with a straight look on her face.

Klaus dropped his arms from her side and stepped back, shutting his eyes. He was dead…way past having any more reasons to deny it.

"Yes," he said, looking at her with a small smile, "I love her." Klaus felt a strange sense of something he couldn't put a finger on, was it…relief? "I suppose I always have."

Mary-Alice blinked at him. "Well, this is…illuminating; although it kind of takes the fun out of things." She pointed a finger at him, "and I object to your lack of faith in my magic skills. Stop assuming the spell isn't going to work!" She blinked again, like she was still wrapping her head around what Klaus had just admitted. "Golly, who knew the Great Evil Niklaus Mikaelson was even capable of love?"

Caroline did, Klaus thought wistfully to himself…back then even when he was basically the sociopath who had killed her best friend's aunt and boyfriend's mother among countless others.

"Alright then, let's go," Mary-Alice spoke suddenly and before Klaus could register what she had said, he was pulled out of there in a flash of light.

It was hard to forget the place where they ended up – it was the old mill on the Salvatore property, right in front of which he had made his first attempt to stake himself after absorbing the Hollow's magic.

Not to mention, it was on the mill's balcony that Caroline had gently assured him that she will convince Alaric to let their daughters help him. Her eyes had been unmistakably sad and even in his pained state at the time it was easy to see she was wrestling conflicting emotions behind that beautiful face as she said it.

He remembered her starting to list the reasons why she would help him and nearly letting it slip that him being able to accept and experience true unconditional love was all she ever wanted…for him? That was open to his interpretation but he would have been happy either way.

He remembered feeling an overwhelming sense of longing as he looked at her right then and he could have sworn he caught a flicker of the same in her eyes. Klaus would have gone and kissed Caroline right there if she hadn't broken out of their trance and told him to wait there and walked away.

And now, here he was back at the balcony, Mary-Alice in toll, watching the most bizarre scene unfolding before him.

A very somber looking Caroline was seated on a bench, still dressed in the same clothes he had seen her in last. In one hand she was clutching on to a glowing prismatic gem while she appeared to be holding her phone in the other. It looked like it was really late at night and he wondered what she was doing there at that time.

And then he noticed what was to him, the strangest aspect of the tableau – Caroline set her phone down and turned to converse with a man next to her.

Someone who Klaus was pretty sure had died over a decade ago.

Caroline was sitting and having a chat with Stefan Salvatore.

"Oh, we had one of those at the Cottage," Mary-Alice said, pointing at the prism in Caroline's hands and nudging Klaus out of his thoughts. "That gem in her hands is a magical object used to talk to your subconscious and was generally used for…therapeutic treatments. It usually presents itself in the form of someone you trust, to make the process easier. They didn't really help our wards though – they just started hearing more voices than they should have."

Klaus absently noted what Mary-Alice was saying to him. He had heard about the existence of such an object during his long life on earth but was currently more concerned with why and how it had come into Caroline's possession. Stefan's voice broke into his train of thought.

"So you were saying…something about everything being my fault," Stefan said, smiling at Caroline, "Although I don't see how that answers my question so please elaborate."

Caroline simply huffed and looked back at him, trying not to return the smile…unsuccessfully. Klaus knew Stefan wasn't real but couldn't help the jab of petty jealousy that pricked him while watching the exchange as he tried to piece together the topic of their conversation.

"It is SO your fault!" she scolded, and Klaus couldn't help but smile. Caroline had taken on that fiery tone which could drive most people to concede to her argument, but he had always found it so irresistibly adorable.

" _You_ set into motion a trend of events which made me question _any_ feelings I may have for anyone!" She was ranting and didn't seem like she was going to pause for breath any time soon. "Let's start from the beginning, shall we? Tyler and I were kids who were madly in love and then he was killed – not your fault I know, but that's how this whole terrible pattern began – and even though he and I weren't dating at the time, he was still a friend and his death hurt!" Klaus wondered what the Lockwood boy had to do with anything. He wasn't sure he liked where this conversation was going but he continued to listen all the same.

"And then you came along and after all that time of affection that I thought was one-way, you finally realized you loved me too. And we had this whole epic love…" Klaus was right, he wasn't liking the sound of this and felt a surge of displeasure towards Stefan for putting Caroline through the ordeal of having to experience one-sided love; she deserved better than that.

"I'm not even going into the death of Jesse, that really nice guy from college…"

 _Whitmore College… the secret base for the Augustine society, Klaus remembered_.

"…and then _you_ went ahead and died, willingly might I add – albeit for a cause I know you thought was worth dying for – but pardon me for being a little selfish and wanting my husband to be alive! I can still forgive you for reminding me what it feels like to be picked second _again_ but did you even stop to think about what I would go through? After Tyler, my mom? Can you even imagine? Of course not, because you're not even really Stefan!"

With that outburst, her hands slowly shifted to cover her face and Klaus realized she was sobbing. His heart suddenly felt like someone had placed a boulder on it and all he wanted to do was reach out, wipe her tears and tell her everything will be alright.

Holographic Stefan responded to her. "Yes, you and I both know that I'm not the real Stefan. But that doesn't mean the thought behind your words doesn't ring true. Go on, answer my question…why didn't you tell Klaus how you felt?"

Klaus' ears pricked up on hearing his name and he saw Caroline's face was scrunched up from crying. She slowly wiped her tears and turned to Stefan.

"I loved him, you know."

Klaus froze. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. His paranoid Hybrid side was telling him this wasn't real. That this was an elaborate dream he was having and he was actually dead and at peace. That the witch was showing him what he wanted to see in order to convince him. That he probably misheard her, and she was talking about someone else. His mind and heart couldn't decide what to feel. While he battled a crisis within himself, Caroline continued.

"And I know he still cares…erm, _cared_ about me too…well, in his own Klaus way. It's not like I was unaware of the little borderline-stalker like things he'd been doing 'without my knowledge' – ensuring there's someone always informed of my whereabouts and making sure that I'm safe wherever I go – as long as it didn't come in my way, I was fine with that," she said shrugging with a small smile.

"But here's the sad, honest truth…it was the day he told me he planned to die for his daughter that I just knew…" she let out a dry laugh, "I knew that I loved him. Or at least I think his decision was what gave me the courage to admit it to myself."

Klaus' emotions felt like it had gone into over-drive. He never imagined that he would be privy to Caroline's profession of love to him _twice_ in the same night, let alone one time.

 _It hurt too much_.

"And the reason I finally knew this without a doubt was because _every_ cell in my body was telling me to find a way to save him. I literally felt physical pain at the idea of him not existing anymore, of him…not being my last love." She laughed bitterly while Klaus just stared, his lips parting slightly. "How ironic, that the one act that gave him salvation also meant losing him forever!" Another stray tear rolled down her cheek and Klaus' eyes welled up as he watched, stunned by her words.

"You know I debated with him about it, standing right here on this very balcony," she pointed, "In my frustration I openly admitted to him that this would have been _so_ much easier had he remained the Big Bad Wolf. But even then I couldn't find it in myself to tell him…how I felt." She shut her eyes briefly.

"I wanted to shout it at him and convince him that we could find another way together. I wanted to reassure him that he was loved in the hopes that he may then try a little harder to survive. I just wanted to wrap my arms around him, kiss those annoyingly beautiful lips and _obliterate_ all that tension between us, knowing I may never get the chance again." She looked down and sighed.

"But instead I decided to do the responsible thing and walk away to convince Rick to get our girls to save Hope. Because I knew that's what mattered to him. Besides, it's not like my confession would have gained anything for either of us since he had already made up his mind about dying anyway."

Klaus felt like he was being strangled while holographic Stefan just looked at Caroline, gesturing for her to continue.

"It's just…saying it out loud, opening up my heart once more and knowing then that I'd be losing him right away…after having lost SO many loved ones – including two men I was IN love with – I just…" Her eyes filled up again, "I just wasn't sure if my heart could be put back together again one more time…" her voice choked and tears started to roll down her cheek.

Holographic Stefan started responding to her rant, but Klaus was numb.

Caroline loved him.

He was overjoyed on finally hearing her admit it. He was angry that she hadn't told him before he died. He was also grateful, not knowing how he much more painful his choice to die would have been had he known. He was regretful that he missed the chance to say it back to her in so many words. He was thankful to her for being thoughtful about Hope.

If there was anyone who could evoke this many emotions in Klaus at the same time, it was Caroline.

His sweet Caroline. It amazed him that even though the light within her appeared to be on a dimmer as she sat weeping, it still managed to shine through. Her tears made her skin glisten in the glow from the prism in her palm and the light from the full moon reflected off her blonde curls – although this was a detail that was probably something only his powerful Hybrid eyesight could catch. He couldn't be completely sure since he was in the Ancestral Plane and still didn't know for sure if his powers even worked here.

That line of thought brought him back to his reality. He looked beside him to see Mary-Alice watching him carefully. He was surprised she hadn't interrupted him again, unlike during all the other visions, but he had to ask her.

"How can I even be sure any of this is even real and not something fabricated by your witchy little brain as a means to obtain your ends?" Klaus questioned her. Mary-Alice rolled her eyes.

"I'm flattered that you think I'm capable of coming up with all of this myself, but all I did was open a window for you to look through." She shrugged at him while absently checking her nails. Klaus decided then he wouldn't put the matter at hand off any longer. He turned back to for another glance at Caroline only to see that she and Stefan had faded out of the memory already. He stretched out his hand to Mary-Alice.

"I'm ready," Klaus said stiffly. Mary-Alice smiled at him.

"Wonderful." She took his hand and Klaus was engulfed in a flash of bright light once more.

* * *

Hope's eyes snapped open and she sat up in her bed. A quick glance at her phone told her it was pretty late. She tried to remember what caused her to wake up but she couldn't recall having a dream or a nightmare of any kind.

A voice, that's it. She had been on the verge of finally falling asleep after hours of crying when she could have sworn she heard a voice.

Her father's voice.

 _I love you, Hope_.

She swallowed back tears that threatened to fall again. No, she told herself, this was just her grief manifesting itself in some weird form because she just lost her father. She had accepted that she probably wasn't going to get a good night's sleep any time soon but hallucinations were a complication she was not equipped to deal with right now.

She thought about going to her Aunt Freya about it, but changed her mind knowing she must be going through her own mourning process at the moment. Maybe she would mention it to her in the morning.

And with that, Hope lay down once more clutching her pillow tighter.

"I love you too, Dad."

* * *

"Don't forget, you are still going to have the werewolf gene in your human form, so unless you want to break out into your four-legged form every full moon, please don't kill anyone." Mary-Alice was rambling on with instructions, some of which Klaus was suspicious of being sarcastic in nature.

"And what if I find a way to get back to my full Hybrid form?" Klaus asked, wondering in all seriousness if he was expected to continue living as a human on earth for the rest of his life. "Is a change in my form bound to have an impact on the confinement of the Hollow on this plane?" He didn't want his attempt to be strong enough to protect Hope backfiring into being what brings danger back to her.

"If I'm right, it may be alright as long as your physical presence is on the living plane, supernatural or not," she replied. "If the Ancestors said otherwise, I would have remembered."

"If's and Maybe's. Your words inspire such confidence." He absently thought about another witch he had said this to, secretly wishing he would rather have had a Bennett witch carry out the spell than this unknown variable, even though he knew Claire witches were recognized for their own set of skills.

"Besides," Mary-Alice continued as if she hadn't heard Klaus, "unless you plan to be sired to your daughter – I think this might be slightly inconvenient as a father – I don't see any way for you to become a Hybrid again. So let's not fret over that unnecessarily and just focus on getting that magic out of you!" She grinned and clapped her hands excitedly.

"My, my, getting a little testy are we, sweetheart?" Klaus smirked at her haste to get things going. He thought about stalling to annoy her but decided against it considering this whole process had gone on long enough.

"Alright, then," Klaus nodded.

Mary-Alice had a circle drawn around him after which she stepped back and began to chant, her actions giving Klaus déjà vu from the time the Saltzman twins siphoned the magic out of Hope into him.

Apart from that, he wasn't sure what to expect from this spell, irrespective of the outcome. But he figured he had nothing to lose, literally; he was dead – he would either be at peace or go back to life, both options with their own list of ups and downs.

Few lines into Mary-Alice's repetitive chanting of the spell and Klaus could already feel something pulsate within his chest. The vibrations gradually began to amplify; fluctuating across his body and making it feel like all of his nerve endings were firing at once. He could feel it building up from the tips of his fingers and toes, starting with tiny prickles in his skin which advanced to a point till it burned and he felt like his body was being licked by flames, making him scream out in pain.

Klaus' breath came out in short huffs, growling as he looked down at his arms and saw the blue veins rippling under his skin, slowly beginning to recede towards his center. His chest got heavier and heavier and he felt like he was going to pass out, when all of a sudden the weight from his chest expelled itself out of his body into a large ball of light and floated above him.

The momentary relief that followed cleared his mind just enough for him to notice out of the corner of his eye that Mary-Alice was staring at the suspended Hollow magic fervently, her arms still stretched out from doing the spell. The glowing sphere hovered between them for a few seconds in all its bright blue glory and Klaus held his breath. Fresh out of his pain-filled haze it felt to him like the Hollow in its free form was mocking him in a display of power over him, taunting him that it could get back into his body anytime it wanted to and destroy his life all over again…bringing the pain along with it.

A few tense seconds later, there was a final pulse of energy from within the light and Klaus gasped as it exploded brightly, branching out into streaks of lightning that seemed to extend all across the skies throughout the entire Ancestral Plane.

The last thing Klaus remembered was Mary-Alice's voice screaming in exultation right before he lost consciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! How's that for heart-wrenching (continuing with the theme of the last season of TO - much sad, such pain, WOW) What did you guys think? Here are a few things I wanted to point out:
> 
> \- Klaus & Caroline's story has been going on for almost two decades. And wanting to keep things as canon as possible, this is precisely why I felt it had reached a safe point for them (so early in this particular story) to admit their feelings (for Caroline it was Klaus being dead when she felt 'free enough' to admit it without having to deal with the consequence and for Klaus it was when he really had nothing to lose or gain from admitting it).
> 
> \- I had to tap into a selfish, slightly-insecure side of Caroline for when she was ranting even though she can be a kind, caring person because I feel like people maintain the most painfully honest thoughts within the safety of their own mind and Caroline was essentially talking to her sub-conscious.
> 
> That being said, do you think the spell worked? Did you like the Klaroline throwbacks and other little Easter Eggs I hid in there? As always, please share your thoughts! And please tell your KC fandom friends if you enjoyed this, I'm honestly still getting the hang of things & figuring stuff out on this platform (and ways to promote my fanfic, though I'm guessing if it's a good enough story it should promote itself lol). Anyway, cheers & see you tomorrow with another update!


	6. Rebirth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Klaus finds his way home, with a little help from new friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well this is exciting isn't it? We finally find out if Klaus eventually makes it back to life or he doesn't. I really can't wait to share the rest of this story with you. Also, thank you for some of the most kindest reviews ever, I'm always grateful for these!
> 
> Disclaimer: None of this is mine, I'm just writing AND editing this story myself. Pardon any errors, I'm half asleep right now.

The first sensation that Klaus felt was that of being cold all over. A violent shiver rippled across his body, seeming slightly odd in contrast to the pricks of heat and light that kept flickering across his tightly shut eyelids.

He was naked; his body curled into a fetal position in response to the coldness around him. The ground he was on gave him a sense of comfort with its earthy scent and the crisp dampness of dew kissed grass. There was a light breeze and he could hear the sound of leaves heavily rustling in the wind, coupled with sounds of various birds and insects all at once. Ordinarily he would have been able to isolate each sound and identify them but for some reason he was unable to get the right focus to do it.

And that's when he realized why.

Klaus' eyes snapped open and his view was filled with green all around. He tilted his head to the side slightly and realized he was lying in a bed of grass, in a small opening in the woods. He then rolled on to his back and looked up to see the tall swaying trees around him, which explained the sparks of light that hit his eyes as the sun occasionally found its way through the dense foliage.

Without another thought, he took a deep breath.

His lips trembled as he inhaled, relishing the feeling of oxygen hitting his lungs and breathing life into his body – a feeling he had long since forgotten over centuries of being undead. He looked at his hands to make sure there were no remains of the blue veins he had possessed what felt like moments ago and slowly placed it over his chest. His eyes filled with emotion as his palm took in the thumps of his heart working hard to keep his body going. Despite being unaffected by the sun as a Hybrid, the little peeks of sunshine that swept across his skin now gave a whole different sense of warmth.

He was really human again. And it was surprisingly…exhilarating.

He let his head fall back on the ground, savoring the feeling of grass cushioning his exposed skin, some of the longer blades tickling his ears and toes. At that very moment, he let himself forget all that he went through to get here and relax; only letting his mind question for a moment… where was he?

As he lay there on the grass watching the trees, it struck him that his visual perspective seemed oddly familiar and a fleeting memory of the time when Caroline had rolled them over during their glorious romp in the woods crossed his mind. He couldn't resist a grin at that thought, and that's when the answer to where he was revealed itself to him.

His smile slowly faded as another greatly distant memory of being an unintentional recipient of this view, from the numerous times he had been knocked over during mock duels with Mikael when growing up, pushed itself to the forefront his mind.

The same kinds of trees, the same sounds and smells; there was no mistaking it. This is where he was born and where he had spent his early childhood.

Klaus Mikaelson was lost somewhere in the woods of Mystic Falls.

The spell had worked…it truly appeared like it had worked.

He was…alive again. He gasped, unable to believe it had actually happened.

Now he just had to find a way to make it home…to Hope.

His heart was suddenly charged with the determination to find his daughter and he pushed himself to stand up, nearly losing balance as he got hit with a plethora of sensations all at once.

His body ached all over like it had been put through a rigorous work out. He stretched and patted some of the dirt off his skin, only then becoming aware of cuts and bruises along his joints. He looked at them curiously as they remained constant without healing immediately like he was accustomed to. While he continued to study his injuries, he noticed a thorn sticking out of his skin, on the tip of his toe. Kneeling down, he carefully used his fingers to pull it out, feeling a slight sting as he pricked himself in the process.

Tossing the extracted thorn, he stood up and watched amazedly at the blooming bud of blood on his fingertip.

As an Original Hybrid, he had had an unbelievable level of control when it came to bloodlust, perfected over the centuries. Despite that, the fact that he felt nothing looking at this and that the scent of blood didn't invoke a violent response within him was almost…freeing.

On impulse, he brought his finger to his lips to stem the bleeding, grimacing from the light coppery taste in his mouth. The whole process was profoundly strange, but he was surprisingly okay with it.

He looked around, terribly missing his Hybrid sense of smell and hearing to indicate which direction to walk towards. He needed to find some clothes and a means for transport. He began to mentally map out options for him to make it back to New Orleans when a deep grumble erupted from within his stomach.

What fresh bloody hell is this, he thought to himself, as he began to realize his throat was very dry.

It was only then it hit him what this strange occurrence was – he was experiencing human hunger and thirst for the first time in centuries. He needed to find food – human food – or look for the nearest water body. Feeling like the latter seemed more like a feasible option, he walked, keeping his ears peeled for the sound of flowing water. He did have a vague idea of where he was, being as he did spend a lot of time in the woods growing up, but so many things had changed over the centuries. Nevertheless, he continued onward.

After what felt like an hour of walking, Klaus was exhausted.

 _How can it be so bloody difficult to find a water body in the woods of Mystic Falls, the name itself literally has water in it_!

He kept grumbling to himself, just before he happened to stumble across a stream running across his path. He instantly got down on his knees and splashed the cool water across his face, cupping some more of it into his mouth.

The relief that came from quenching his thirst was so refreshing; he burst out laughing with joy. He felt so alive!

"Who are you?" came a small voice from behind him, snapping him out of his moment of elation. Klaus turned around, his face dripping wet, and instinctively wrapped his arms around his knees. He looked to see a little raven-haired girl who was probably seven or eight years old and dressed in camping wear, staring at him questioningly.

"Where are your clothes? Aren't you cold?" she asked, her eyes wide with wonder.

Klaus tried his best to smile without appearing like the creepy naked man in the woods and asked her, "What's your name, sweetheart?"

"Alison. But that's all I'm going to tell you because Mommy says I shouldn't talk to strangers."

"Smart one, your mother," Klaus said, chuckling. "And you're exceptionally bright for listening to her. Could you do me a kind favor Love, and get your mother to bring me some clothes to wear? I appear to have misplaced mine."

The little girl nodded and began to trot off in the direction he was headed towards when he heard a woman's voice yelling.

"Ali! Alison, where are you?"

"Over here, Mommy! There's a man with no clothes who talks funny!"

"What?"

Klaus looked to see a short woman with long flowing raven-hair similar to her daughter's jog towards them with a trekking stick in hand, her incredibly light blue eyes widening in shock as she realized his state of undress.

"Alison, step away from there and come to me right now!" she yelled across at her daughter who obeyed and the woman put her free arm across her little one protectively. Klaus saw the panicked look of someone who was ready to run away from there but he needed her help and decided he would have to ask for it without freaking her out.

"I mean no harm," Klaus spoke as calmly as possible. "Your daughter was actually sharp enough to stay away from me, being a stranger and everything." The woman continued to stare at him with her stick raised and Klaus explained, "I would really appreciate it if I got some clothes to wear."

"Yes Mommy, he lost his."

"Hush, sweetie," the woman waved her daughter further behind her and maintained the stick in front of her. "How exactly did you end up in this situation anyway?" she questioned Klaus.

"Now that's a long and eventful story. You wouldn't believe me if I told you," he shrugged.

"Well this is Mystic Falls after all, you'd be surprised at the things I can believe in," she said plainly.

Klaus' eyes narrowed and he wondered what the odds would be that she recognized his face from his time back in Mystic Falls. He watched her as she seemed to be weighing her thoughts on whether to help him or not. After a deep breath, she spoke.

"Here," she said, taking off her jacket and tossing it at him. "Wrap this around yourself and follow me." Klaus obliged and proceeded to tie it around his waist.

"Just so you know, I'm trained to deal with all kinds of weirdos so don't even think about doing anything stupid," she warned him, gesturing with her stick. Klaus simply nodded in agreement and the three of them walked along.

They came to the river which would eventually lead to the actual Mystic Falls, from where the town got its name, and there was a camping tent put up beside it with a fire that appeared to be warming up something in a pot. The smell of chicken and leek hit his nostrils causing his stomach to grumble again, audibly this time. The woman glanced at him briefly before raising her palm and gesturing at him to stop.

"Wait right here," she said, and popped into her tent. Klaus could hear her rummaging through her stuff while Alison continued to observe him.

"Are you hungry?" she asked simply as her mother continued to fumble around in the tent.

"Famished," was all Klaus said.

"Don't worry, you can have soup with us, there's enough to go around. Right, Mommy?"

"Just a minute Honey," her voice came from the tent and she scrambled out with a pair of track pants and a loose t-shirt in hand. "Sorry, this is all I can offer you."

Klaus smiled and graciously accepted it. "Thank you."

Later they sat drinking soup around the fire in silence, the only sounds coming from the spitting of the flames and the soft lapping of the river. Klaus was halfway through his bowl when the woman spoke up.

"So who are you? Are you from around here?"

Klaus swallowed his soup and set his bowl down. "My name is…" he started, pondering for a moment how truthful he really needed to be with this stranger. "I'm Nik. And Mystic Falls used to be my home, but not anymore." He paused, unsure whether this was going to be a conversation or an interrogation. "What about you?" he asked anyway.

"Me too. I just brought my daughter here to show her where I grew up. Thought we'd turn it into a camping trip," she said, giving a dry smile. "I'm April. And you've already met my daughter Alison." Klaus gave Alison a little wave and she waved back, smiling. This exchange filled Klaus' human heart with another alien feeling.

Comfort. Or maybe it was warmth.

"I actually knew another Nik. Well not really, my good friend back from when I was at the Mystic Falls high school used to keep going on about her brother Nik and how he was constantly a pain in the butt. It was hard to forget that."

Klaus laughed genuinely, his dimples showing. "Truth be told I can't imagine my siblings wouldn't say the same about me." April smiled at this.

"Honestly, you do look a little familiar, but what would the chances have to be right?"

"Right."

Klaus smiled, picked up his bowl and gulped down the rest of his soup. He then set the bowl aside and stood up. "Thank you, April, for your hospitality. I know it was against your better judgment to trust me but I appreciate your help all the same." April nodded and Klaus turned to the daughter, "and thank you Alison, for finding me and saving my life."

Alison smiled back at him saying, "You're welcome!" and he then turned back to April.

"I'm sorry but would it be possible for me to make a phone call?"

"Err, yeah sure," April fumbled in her pocket and pulled out her phone. "Here you go."

Klaus briefly considered contacting the locals since he was in Mystic Falls, but changed his mind since he wasn't interested in sharing the fact that he was now human with anyone here…well, apart from Caroline who was presumably traveling for work like always. Hope was probably at the Salvatore School but revealing himself to her in that environment would probably do more harm than good.

No, he needed to get to New Orleans first and so decided that he would call Freya to send someone to get him or figure out a way to magically get him back home.

Klaus glanced at the phone and just as he was about to dial, he noticed something, his eyes growing wide. April caught his look of surprise.

"What happened, everything okay?"

Klaus' lips parted as his eyes still registered shock. He pointed at her phone screen. "Is this today's date?" he asked anxiously, already knowing her answer.

April frowned. "Err, yeah it is. What, you forget a birthday or something?" she half-laughed, her face getting serious again as she watched Klaus' expression change. "What's wrong?"

Klaus froze. He remembered the date that he died and looking at the date displaying back at him from the phone meant…

Niklaus Mikaelson had been dead to the world for months now, almost a year.

He looked up from the phone to see April still looking at him warily. He gave a half-hearted smile and shrugged at her saying, "It's fine; I just remembered something, nothing to worry about."

He gripped the phone in his hands, staring at the screen as if in doing that, somehow the date would change. If it had been months, he couldn't even be sure where everyone in his family was but he had no choice.

His hands shook slightly as he dialed Freya's number, one that he knew off the top of his head.

* * *

Freya sat with her legs stretched out on a long chaise in her and her wife Keelin's bedroom at the Abattoir, armed with a book in hand when her phone began to buzz. She exhaled sharply in mild irritation as her reading time was interrupted and extended her arms, reaching for her phone on the coffee table next to where she lay.

Still unable to reach it, she snapped her fingers saying "Vennez!" and the phone flew off the table and dropped into her palm.

She smiled to herself seeing the name on the caller ID.

"Hey there Doctor Wife," Freya said playfully on picking up the phone, her smile getting wider.

"You sound good," came Keelin's voice on the phone, "does that mean you're enjoying your reading?"

"Well, 'What to Expect When You're Expecting' is definitely a far cry from deciphering spells in Grimoires but yes I'm powering through. I have a lot to catch up on in all the years of living that I missed."

"How are you feeling? Morning sickness is generally worst in the first trimester."

"Don't worry honey, I'm taking all my supplements _and_ I've spelled a bucket to appear whenever I feel the urge to empty my stomach contents. Ugh, just thinking about it makes me want to throw up."

"Hey, what did we talk about in terms of using magic for every little thing?" Keelin's voice took a firm tone. "We don't want to take any chance of your body getting weaker from doing magic, remember?"

"But I'm a Witch! Besides, I'm only doing this because you aren't here to hold my hair back," Freya teased. "When are you coming home? The whole point of you taking up a job at the local hospital was so we could raise our baby together."

"Hey I'm always home on time; today was an exception due to an emergency fill-in at the hospital. Don't worry I'll be home before you know it." Keelin explained. "Love you."

"I love you too." Freya hung up and sent the phone back to the table, smiling to herself. Keelin had been calling her constantly since she started getting busy at the hospital. It was endearing but after a while Freya had to convince her it was okay to be busy with work and that she would be totally fine.

This was only call number three today and that was progress, she thought to herself.

Just as she pulled out her bookmark and began to settle back into her reading, her phone buzzed again. 'Already?' Freya thought to herself and scoffed; she had declared progress too soon.

"God, Keelin," she muttered to herself while snapping the phone into her hands. "Honey, I love you but you really need to calm down," she started talking right away upon hitting the answer button.

Expecting an explanation in the form of a witty retort, she was surprised when she was met with silence on the other end. Confused, she looked at the Caller ID and realized it was an unknown number.

"Err, Hello? Who's there?"

"Hello, Sister." Freya froze, a long buried pain erupting in her chest.

That voice, that tone was unmistakable. But it was also impossible, which meant someone was clearly playing a cruel joke on her.

"Who is this? Whoever this is, it is NOT funny!" Freya's anger began to bubble, her eyes watering with rage.

"Freya, it's me. It's Niklaus…I know it may seem hard to believe but…"

"That's an understatement," she cut him off. She could hear a heavy sigh on the other end of the call.

"I'll explain everything when I see you but for now you have to trust me. I just need to you to send someone to pick me up."

"Prove it," Freya said suddenly. "Prove you are who you say you are." She couldn't even bring herself to say his name because even that would be permitting herself to have a glimmer of hope.

"Do a locator spell on me," Klaus told her firmly, his voice unintentionally coming out more like a command than a request. "Do it using one of my personal items to find me. It won't work if I'm dead, will it?"

The man had a point. That was the easiest way to find out.

"Fine." Freya didn't know why she was humoring this stranger on the phone but hearing that voice…she had to know for sure, despite knowing the favored outcome was absolutely impossible.

"I will call back in five minutes and you should have been done by then. You will then send transport for me back home, do you understand?"

Freya hesitated. He may or may not be her brother but whoever this was definitely got down his bossiness accurately.

"Alright." She hung up and paused for a moment, unsure if what just happened was real or her imagination.

Only one way to find out, she thought and stepped out of her room, walking up the stairs to her late brother Klaus' room.

She opened the door and went in. Eleven months since her brothers died and the space had been left it the same, only opened up for clearing the dust every now and then. His art supplies, which were occasionally borrowed by Hope, remained in one corner and his bed was made. Freya walked over to his desk and spotted a bowl in which his necklaces were bunched in. This should work, she thought, pulling one out and pocketing it before heading back to her room.

Freya stood at her large table with a map spread over it. Using Klaus' necklace and her blood to bind it to the map, she proceeded with the locator spell.

"Here we go," she said out loud to no one.

* * *

"What's a locator spell?"

Klaus had just hung up and turned around to see Alison standing at a distance, watching him.

"You know, it's rather rude to eavesdrop on private conversations," Klaus said gently, "Or did your smart mother not teach you that?"

"Mommy's gone to get more firewood. I was just keeping an eye on her phone, making sure you don't run away with it." Klaus couldn't help but smile at the girl's defense.

"Don't worry, your mother's phone is safe with me," he said, waving the phone at her. "I just needed to call my family and let them know I'm safe."

"You didn't answer my question."

"My, you are sharp for a seven year old."

"I'm seven and three quarters."

"Oh, my apologies," Klaus said, smiling at her. Somehow this moment brought back memories of his limited time with Hope at that age. Alison continued to look at him, still awaiting her answer and Klaus obliged.

"What you heard was just code between my sister and me, a game we used to play as children." He couldn't think of any other way to explain a magical term to a human child.

"I've never had a sister or a brother," she stated. "My Daddy died soon after I was born."

"I am sorry to hear that, sweetheart," Klaus said genuinely.

They walked quietly back to the tent and seated themselves around the pile of burnt out wood.

"So…where are you going?" asked Alison, a curious look in her eyes.

"I am headed home…to my favourite city in the world; this beautiful place called New Orleans." Klaus smiled at her.

"But you said you were born in Mystic Falls. Doesn't that mean this is your home?"

Klaus continued to be amazed by the young girl's astuteness. "Ah, so you _were_ paying attention earlier." He smiled at her, "Just because you were born somewhere doesn't necessarily mean it is home." He leaned towards her and spoke softly, "Home is where your family is, Alison."

"That makes sense," she said thoughtfully and Klaus chuckled lightly.

"What's going on here?" April had returned with more wood for the fire. "Is everything okay with your family?"

"We were just talking…your daughter really is quite the intelligent one," Klaus said smiling, "I managed to contact my sister. She'll get back to me soon."

"Great. So you're going home?"

"Yes, I was just starting to tell little Alison here about the great city of New Orleans," he said, gesturing at her daughter. He turned to Alison, "You must visit and try the beignets there; you will like it."

Alison smiled widely at Klaus, nodding, and a memory of sitting in the Abattoir courtyard with Hope at a table full for beignets came across his mind. And before he could stop himself he added, "My daughter loves them too, or at least used to when she was your age."

Klaus was taken aback by his own actions. Living over a thousand years as the most powerful creature on the planet and having to survive the most incredible dangers, paranoia had become his oldest friend. He truly believed it was this aspect paired with his strategies that managed to keep him and his family safe for so long. And that also meant keeping a lot of secrets about his life to himself.

And here he was, volunteering information about his family to a complete stranger he met in the woods without obsessing over what could be the possibilities and consequences of this exchange.

Clearly his humanity was causing him to be more trusting to others; he worried more and more about the side-effects of being human.

"You have a daughter? How old is she?" April asked, breaking through his thoughts.

Klaus sighed, remembering the date on April's phone. "She will be turning fifteen in a few months."

"Oh wow, raising a teenager," April raised her eyebrows, "What's that like, any kind of heads-up you can give me?"

"I really wish I could tell you – " Klaus started to say when he got interrupted by the phone in his hand buzzing.

He looked to see Freya's number flashing across the display. He turned to April apologetically, "It's my sister." He stepped away from them and answered the phone. "Well?"

He could hear a gasp on the other line, followed by one softly spoken word.

"Brother."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a little longer than usual; hope that's nothing to complain about. I really enjoyed writing about Klaus acclimatizing to being human again, honestly made me appreciate all the good things in life, especially during this lock-down situation. Caught any other Easter eggs that you liked? I know there's no Caroline in this chapter, doesn't mean Klaus wasn't thinking of her though ;) Hang tight, Klaroline is and will always be endgame in this story but I didn't say it was going to be easy!
> 
> Reviews pretty please, they keep me strong and pumped up for the next one! And puts a smile on my face. Virtual socially-distant hugs to everyone in advance. Stay safe!


	7. Return of a King

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Klaus finds a way back to his family and has to figure out how to break the news of his return to Hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are pretty crazy in the world out there and I hope reading this provides some sort of temporary reprieve - if any - and puts a smile on your face. I apologize in advance, this is a short chapter but lots of little events and meeting much awaited people...NOT Caroline but essentially family.
> 
> Disclaimer: None of this is mine. Like seriously.

"Brother." Klaus could hear the cautious joy in her voice. "How is this possible?" Freya's voice was barely a whisper and he strained to hear her over the phone in the absence of his supernatural hearing.

"I'll explain everything. I just need to come home first. Is there any way you can find someone who can give me a ride from Mystic Falls?"

"Mystic Falls? What are you even – " She exhaled. "Never mind. I can call Caroline or, or Hope, she's at the school and – "

"Sister, can I ask you to just respect my wish to not inform the whole world I am back…at least not right away. At least not until I figure out some things."

"What things? Okay, okay all questions reserved for later," Freya sounded convinced about his existence, but there was still a hint of doubt in her voice. "Can you at least tell me why you haven't just compelled yourself a car and driven yourself back here?"

"Let's just say that's a part of the complications that are to be figured out when I get home. I'm…" Klaus paused for a moment, drawing a deep breath, "I'm human."

Silence. Klaus gave his sister a moment to register this new information and waited for her to respond. Just when he began to think the call had dropped, she spoke.

"Okay."

Klaus was surprised; he had expected a slightly more dramatic response to the situation. But then again, he had always thought of Freya as the rational type. The dramatic reaction could probably be better expected from his younger sister Rebekah and currently he couldn't be sure if he was looking forward to or dreading explaining things to _her_.

"Klaus," Freya began, collecting herself, "we'll figure this out together, as a family."

"I know," Klaus replied confidently. "Now, apart from my transport...it would also be nice if I could get a change of clothes as well."

He could hear Freya snort on the other end. "Do I even want to know?" she asked.

Klaus laughed, feeling lighter now that she seemed to believe him.

Freya paused for a moment and spoke, "Actually there is this guy from Mystic Falls we occasionally hire to drive Hope between her school and New Orleans when she comes home for some of the weekends. I could ask him to get you something to wear as well. And don't worry we pay him to be discreet."

Ordinarily Klaus would've questioned putting his faith in a stranger to take him anywhere, especially now in his particularly vulnerable position as a human, but knowing his family trusted this person with Hope had to be good enough for now. Of course he planned to do a whole background check on him when he got the chance, just to be sure for himself.

"Alright," Klaus said simply, "I'll see you at home then, Sister."

"I'll make the arrangements. Stay by that phone for further updates." Freya smiled; Klaus couldn't see it but he could hear it in her voice. "I'll see you soon, Brother."

An hour and a half later, Klaus had said his goodbyes and thanks to April and her daughter and had been picked up from a bus stop closest to the camping spot that April had pointed him towards. He changed into a grey long sleeved shirt and dark blue jeans in the back seat while his driver sped on.

The young man – who introduced himself as Jake – was quiet but seemed capable. Klaus assessed that he was a decent driver who appeared to be fit enough to protect his daughter and supposed he approved of him being Hope's chauffeur as long as she didn't at any point get charmed by the boy's jet black hair, tanned skin and bright eyes. If that happened, he would kill him.

That was when Klaus remembered he couldn't really go around killing people anymore.

 _Bloody hell_. He supposed he would have to settle with firing him if that was the case…for now.

Klaus observed Jake's movements carefully. Based on the subtle vibe he got from him as a human with the werewolf gene, he guessed that Jake was a supernatural creature.

"You're a wolf," Klaus stated.

Jake took a quick glance at Klaus through the rear-view mirror and nodded. "From the Crescent Pack."

Klaus sat back and figured it was for the best; his many lifetimes' worth of enemies could still be out there lurking in the shadows for a chance to hurt his daughter and take revenge on the Mikaelson family. It couldn't hurt to have someone with supernatural powers looking after her.

Soon he hoped to be one of them…once he figured out a way to go back to his Hybrid self.

As the journey continued uneventfully, Klaus became acutely aware of how exhausted he really was and despite how much he fought it, the very human trait of sleepiness began to set in. Soon enough, he was stretched out in the back seat, fast asleep and oblivious to the world around him. So deep was his sleep, that the next thing he remembered was Jake's voice calling out to him, announcing that they had reached their destination.

"Wake up," Jake said, nudging Klaus' shoulders slightly. "We're here."

Klaus opened his eyes wide, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes and stretching. "Bloody hell, that…was the best sleep I've had in centuries!" he exclaimed, looking at Jake, who looked slightly puzzled.

"I'd forgotten what it's like to truly need rest and get it," Klaus clarified, "…quite the feeling I must say." He looked around, noticing it was dark. "What time is it?"

"A little past midnight," Jake replied, stepping out of the car to open the door for Klaus to step out. Pushing aside the tracksuit that had served as pillow during his deep slumber, he stepped out of the car and looked up to see the tall compound gate with the Mikaelson crest on it.

Klaus turned to Jake, extending his hand, "Thank you," he said graciously as Jake responded with a firm handshake. "I heard you drive my daughter as well, so I appreciate you taking care of her." Jake pressed his lips together into a small smile and nodded.

"Oh my God," a voice gasped and Klaus' head whipped towards the gate in the direction of the sound.

The gate was now open and Freya stood there dressed in a very loose night gown, with her wife Keelin a few steps behind her. Her hands were clutching the sides of her face, her eyes wide.

"Brother?" Klaus flashed his trademark smirk at her.

"In the flesh, Sister," he said and they marched straight into each others' arms.

Freya clung to Klaus tightly like she was worried he would disappear if she let go. Klaus shut his eyes, his heart overwhelmed with emotion. When they finally let go, they just looked at each other, unable to stop smiling.

"This is crazy," said Freya, her eyes filled to the brim with tears, "I've dealt with people coming back to life but this…this is unbelievable."

"Let's step in and we can talk all about it," Klaus said, smiling back at her through his own tear-filled eyes. Freya nodded and moved to send off Jake while he turned to Keelin, "Hope things have been well with you."

Keelin nodded. "All good…what do you even say to someone who has come back to life? As a doctor, I'm especially intrigued." Klaus let out a short laugh and Freya's voice came from beside him as she put her arms around his shoulder.

"Welcome back…to the land of the living…quite literally might I add," Freya said, looking him up and down curiously. "Let's get inside so you can answer all the – " She paused abruptly, making Klaus frown in worry.

"Freya, are you alright?" Klaus asked, putting his hand on her shoulder. Freya was looking at him strangely.

"Oh boy, Klaus I think you should take a step back," Keelin said, rushing to Freya's side with a knowing look on her face.

Before Klaus could question her instruction, Freya turned away and all of sudden a tiny bucket materialized in front of her out of thin air, which she grabbed and proceeded to puke into.

Amused at what actually looked like a very comical situation, Klaus broke out into laughter. He tried to look apologetic but when Freya was done and saw his face, she burst into a fit of giggles as well. Keelin smiled too, shaking her head at the ridiculousness of the scenario.

A quick update by Freya on what Klaus missed in his absence and a large cup of green tea later, Keelin stood up from the dining table where the three of them were seated. "I'm gonna go to bed and let you guys catch up. I have an early shift tomorrow anyway." She turned to Freya, "You should be getting rest too but I'm making a _very_ big exception in this case. It's not every day your brother comes back from the dead, right?"

"You'd be surprised," Freya joked as Keelin gave her a goodnight kiss and left for their room. She then turned excitedly to Klaus.

"So I've just informed our siblings about you, like we talked about. Rebekah's flying in tomorrow morning with Marcel, although I'm quite sure it's mostly to check on me and see if I've not lost my mind. And Kol, well he could be coming this weekend…or in three months like he had planned earlier for Hope's birthday. Just know, irrespective, he was very happy. I think he just needs more proof that you're actually back before forcing himself to come back to the city," she laughed.

"Never mind that sister, your wife is right," Klaus said, "If I remember correctly Hayley had said something along the lines of needing a lot of rest in the first trimester." Freya chuckled.

"I almost forgot that you've been through this before," she said, smiling at him.

"I am so incredibly happy for you, Sister," said Klaus, putting his hand over hers and squeezing it. "I know Rebekah has wanted this for the longest time but I'm glad you're getting the chance too."

"Well, you're human now so it's technically possible for you to have more kids too," Freya joked, bringing an important topic to the table. "Brother, when do we tell Hope?"

Klaus sighed. "As much as I'd like to call her right away and hold her safe in my arms, I think it would be better if she didn't get the news while at school." Freya started to protest but he continued, "You said, she's coming home this weekend. I'll meet her then." She raised her hands up in surrender.

"Okay, but let me tell you she's not going to be happy you kept this from her, even if it's just for two days."

"Then let's just hope that her happiness from my return will overshadow her fury for now," Klaus tilted his head at Freya. "You really should sleep, it's late. We'll talk in the morning, when Rebekah's joined us."

As if on cue, Freya let out a yawn. "You're right. Your room's ready, although to be honest it was left untouched anyway." She looked at him with affection in her eyes, "I'm glad you're back, Brother."

Klaus smiled at her, his heart warming, "Me too, Sister. And thank you…for everything."

They hugged each other one more time and headed off to their separate rooms.

* * *

"Good Morning."

Hope Mikaelson was sitting in her usual spot at a table in the common room of the Salvatore School for the Young and Gifted reading her text book when she looked up to see a Saltzman twin – the meaner one – eerily smiling at her.

"Lizzie." Hope raised her eyebrows. "You're making conversation. On purpose."

"Can't a witch just be nice to a fellow witch?" Lizzie asked, her smile frozen in place, making it look like it had been plastered on for effect.

"Other witches, maybe. You? No." Hope narrowed her eyes at her. "You want something from me, don't you?"

"Ugh fine, I was getting bored of this small talk anyway."

"You barely said two sentences."

"That's two sentences more than I'd like to be talking to you."

Hope rolled her eyes. "What do you want, Lizzie?" she asked, her attention going back to her book.

"What I _want_ is to know why you continue to spread rumors about the 'delicate state of my mental health' to every loser here who owns a pair of ears," Lizzie glared at her for a moment before straightening herself up and forcing a smile on her face again. "But, I'm here to talk about something else entirely."

"For the last time Lizzie," Hope said, rubbing her palm on her forehead, "I have NOT been saying anything to anybody about you. I have more productive ways to use my time."

"Whatever," she cut Hope short, "I just needed help on a spell and was generally pointed in your direction as the person to approach." She dropped an old textbook in front of her. "So…will you?"

"Will I…what?" asked Hope, her face breaking out into a smug grin.

Lizzie groaned, rolling her eyes. "Will you please HELP me out with this spell?" Her voice drawled.

"Doesn't really feel like you mean it."

"Shut up," Lizzie glared at her.

"Principal Saltzman put you up to this didn't he?" Hope asked, looking at her pointedly.

"Maybe. And my Mom too," she said, with more eye-rolling, "They said that I should be nicer to you which is a ridiculous thing to say because I am nice to literally every idiot here!" She gestured to the rest of the common room while Hope stared at her with an eyebrow raised. Lizzie scoffed, "Fine, I admit I may have to work a little on expanding my niceties. So are you going to help me or not?"

"Ok, fine," Hope said, giving in. "Let's rally this weekend and we'll work it out together." Just then, her phone began to buzz on the table. She noted the caller ID wondering why her Aunt Freya was calling her at this time.

"Looking forward to it," Lizzie gave a sarcastic smile, spun around and marched out of the room, leaving Hope to answer her phone.

"Aunt Freya, hey! Everything okay? How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, Hope. I just wanted to confirm that you're coming home on Saturday."

"Actually, I've got some work to do with Lizzie Saltzman and I thought I'd get ahead on some of my schoolwork; how about next week?"

"I _really_ think you should come home this weekend." Freya's voice sounded a little firm, yet hesitant.

"Aunt Freya, is something wrong?" asked Hope, a little anxiety creeping up in her voice.

"No honey, quite the opposite, just…" Freya paused, trying to pick the right words, "…just come home. You need to see this for yourself."

"Oh…Okay." Hope wondered what that was about but agreed with her all the same. "I'll try to head out of class early so I can get there Friday night."

"Great, I'll make sure Jake is there to pick you up."

"Aunt Freya, you really don't have to, I can take the bus – "

"Just humor me on this okay? Blame the Mom-to-be hormones on me feeling a little extra protective of you," Freya said, laughing.

Hope couldn't help but laugh back at the idea that her future cousin would be to blame for her being spoiled. "Okay, I'll see you then. Say hello to Keelin."

"I will. Goodbye, Hope."

Hope hung up and her curiosity was piqued. She shrugged it off, telling herself she would find out soon enough and then proceeded to think of the least stressful ways to tell Lizzie Saltzman she wouldn't be able to help her with her spells this weekend as planned.

* * *

Freya placed her phone on the table and looked to Klaus, "Hope will be home Friday night, Brother."

"And you didn't mention anything about me? Did she seem to suspect anything?"

"She has no reason to. And she has absolutely no way of guessing the truth. Hell, I'm still coming to terms with it if I'm being completely honest."

Freya and Klaus were sitting in the Abattoir courtyard where there was a wide array of breakfast items spread across the table. Klaus smirked at her.

"Pastries, waffles, sandwiches…croissants, pancakes, beignets…a bit much for a single meal, don't you reckon?"

"Klaus, you're human now. I honestly have no idea what you like to eat!" Klaus looked at her and she shrugged. "Also, remind me never to order for breakfast when I'm having a sugar craving."

Klaus grinned, his dimples prominent. "As touched as I am by your gesture dear Sister, I promise I'll do my best to ensure your limitation of meal choices to one or two items next time." The two siblings smiled at each other.

"This is nice," Freya sighed. Klaus raised his eyebrows.

"I would be surprised if you didn't think so, considering you're the one who ordered breakfast."

"No, I mean…" she pressed her lips together, "…your humanity. It's different, no doubt, but beautiful all the same."

"It's not been long but has been challenging to be honest," Klaus admitted. "Not to mention I'm constantly plagued by fleeting moments of being reminded of my helplessness when it comes to protecting Hope. On the bright side, the lack of heightened senses and emotions do keep me in check when I feel the urge to kill someone who pisses me off, just about." He winked at her. She smiled, her expression changing soon after noticing something behind him and Klaus turned around to look.

His sister Rebekah stood there with a strange look that was a combination of shock and joy, in front of the now open gate. Right next to her stood Marcel looking equally flabbergasted.

Klaus slowly stood up from his chair as Rebekah walked towards him. She threw a quick glance at Freya as if she could provide some affirmation that this was real and turned back to Klaus. She opened and shut her mouth a few times as if to say something but no words came out till she finally gasped, "Nik?"

Hearing his little sister say his name came as another reality check for him, dismissing his lingering fears that this may all still be some dream that some higher power meant to lure him with and snatch away at the last moment. "Rebekah," was all he could choke out as his eyes filled with tears and with that they ran into each other's arms, wrapping each other in a warm, heartfelt hug.

"Nik, it really _is_ you," Rebekah whispered, still holding tight. "But, how? How can –"

"I'll explain everything," said Klaus, letting go. He then turned to his protégé who simply stood looking at him.

"Marcellus my boy," he said, smiling at him. Marcel hesitated.

"How is this even possible?" he asked, sounding too anxious for Klaus' taste.

"Ouch. 'So glad you're back from the dead' would have been nicer," chuckled Klaus, upon hearing which Marcel seemed to snap out of his shocked trance and smiled, coming in for a light hug. He suddenly broke away, his arms still on Klaus' shoulders and looked back at him. "This feels different. You're…"

"Human, yes," Klaus finished for him. Rebekah scoffed.

"Are you serious? Bloody hell, why does everyone else get to be human but me?" she complained and Klaus simply laughed.

"Well, why don't you join me for this lavish breakfast that Freya has laid out for us and I'll tell you all about my wild adventure."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So you'll notice I added a new character - Jake the werewolf, hmm I wonder where I've heard that before - but I'm just having a little fun with it. Although if I had to pick someone to play that character on the show, I would have cast Jordan Fisher. Also, writing snarky Lizzie (or just plain Lizzie at this point) is so much fun!
> 
> I apologise if the story seems to be slowing down a bit even with all the events I'm trying to pack in every chapter, but please bear with me. Like I've mentioned before I'm trying to keep things organic without just rushing into it and going POOF done. That said, reviews really help with bigger, better chapters :P please send your thoughts my way, I always love to hear from you guys!
> 
> Cheers, stay safe.


	8. Once More, With Feeling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Klaus reunites with his siblings and has a serious conversation about his current human state. Hope wonders why it seemed really important for her to head home this weekend from school.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, with all the comments, kudos and bookmarking, I'm actually starting to believe my obsession over getting the story done right is worth it :P you guys are the BEST! Thank you for the appreciation! 
> 
> As for our story...we're getting close to some very important reunions with Klaus this chapter. You know what, I'll just let you read & find out yourself.
> 
> Disclaimer: None of the TVD stuff is mine. I like to pretend it is and write this so I can power through all the crap in the world today.

"This is insane," Rebekah said, shaking her head in astonishment at everyone seated around the table with the now semi-empty plates of beignets and pastries coupled with the a few glasses of wine. She turned to face Klaus. "Nik, as unbelievably pleased as I am with your return, you really think this Claire witch is to be trusted? How do you even know for sure that the dark magic is completely out of your system?"

"And here I thought I was the paranoid one in the family," said Klaus tilting his head at his sister's questions. "As for the dark magic, I've had it before so I'm quite certain I would know if it was still in me," he stated, unconsciously stealing a quick glance at his hands for the tell-tale sign of blue veins in a fleeting moment of doubt.

"I knew Claire witches were the way to go," came Kol's voice from Freya's phone screen that had been propped up at the table while Klaus narrated his story, smugly referring to his choice of Davina Claire as his wife. "Sorry I couldn't be there Brother; I had to see you were real with my own eyes and then back it up with multiple witnesses before having to consider a reason to come back to that blasted city."

"You're not sorry Kol, and that's perfectly alright with me," Klaus said, rolling his eyes at the screen, "I suppose I'll see you for Hope's birthday."

"I promised my favorite niece I would be there and so I shall. Do me a favor and try not to get killed before then, brother?"

Klaus scowled at him while Freya cut in, "You mean your _only_ niece Kol, don't forget to spare some love for an upcoming prospective contender for that title." Kol laughed at that and hung up, leaving the table in a comfortable silence. Marcel cleared his throat and looked at Klaus.

"Have you decided how you're going to have this conversation with Hope?" he asked, concern in his voice for the girl who was for all means and purposes, his little sister.

Klaus had a thoughtful look on his face. "I figured, if I could find a way to say goodbye to her, as difficult as that was, this shouldn't be as terrible," he mused, a small smile tugging at his lips as he thought of the beautiful vampire who had actually convinced him to say goodbye to his daughter before walking towards his impending death.

Klaus didn't realize his tiny smile had broken out into a full-fledged one with his dimples flashing until Rebekah snapped him out of his trance.

"What's with that look?" she asked, staring at him suspiciously.

"What's that?" asked Freya, now curious too.

"I know that look," Marcel grinned, "that's his 'I just got back from Mystic Falls' look," he surmised, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Bloody hell, he's thinking of Caroline, isn't he?" Rebekah groaned, rolling her eyes. "He literally came back from the dead and he still can't get over that little minx?"

"I'm right here, Rebekah and will you all just bloody calm down?" Klaus glared at them but kept the rest of his anger-induced retorts in place. "But since we're on the subject…" a mischievous, almost shy grin fell on his face looking at Rebekah, "How is the feisty Headmistress of the Salvatore School faring these days?"

"You're talking to the wrong person, Nik," Rebekah sniped at him, "I only ever had her number in case I needed her assistance with anything to do with _you_ in the first place, so pardon me for not keeping in touch with her following your actual _death_." Klaus frowned at her and Freya spoke up.

"As Hope's legal guardian, I've visited the school a couple of times for parent-teacher meetings and such," Freya said. "She and Dr. Saltzman have been taking really good care of Hope, paying particular attention to her with regards to her education as well as general defense training."

Klaus felt a surge of pride & warmth on hearing this and Freya continued.

"So basically, aside from a hair & wardrobe makeover a few months ago and a renewed obsession with finding out more about the Gemini coven, Caroline's doing as well as she ever was. Hope actually mentioned that she's constantly on the move traveling, researching and recruiting students from around the world."

Klaus idly let his mind wander over the passing mention of Caroline's wardrobe makeover trying to not get distracted by thoughts of certain items of her clothing that came to his mind – or lack of them – and shifted his attention to the other point Freya mentioned.

"Have you been able to help Caroline with any information that could be effective in saving her children from their fates?" he asked Freya in an eerily calm voice, trying not to let his usual bossiness when it came to getting his witch sister to do things for him, come in the way.

"Each and every piece of text related to the Gemini coven and the Merge that I know of are currently in the possession of Dr. Saltzman anyway," Freya commented, sensing some of the hostility in Klaus' voice, "However…" – she explained as an accusatory scowl begin to appear on Klaus' face – "…I have been passing on whatever knowledge or contacts I've come across that might be able to help them; it's the least I could do."

Klaus let out a deep breath, his unexpressed anger cooling under his skin. "Good," was all he said, and Freya slowly leaned back against her chair. They sat in silence for a few minutes until Rebekah exchanged worried looks with Marcel and addressed Klaus.

"So…what about you, Nik?"

"What about me?" Klaus asked, looking away from the distance and turning to her.

"Are we really going to ignore the monster of an elephant in the room right now, Nik? You're human!"

"I'm _extremely_ aware of that, yes."

"Am I supposed to believe that my brother, the master strategist Niklaus Mikaelson has not made any plans about what he's going to do now that he is human? Or has your humanity eaten away at your plotting skills?"

"Rebekah…" Klaus warned.

"What? We need to talk about keeping you safe because people are going to know about you eventually and who knows which of the people we have wronged over the centuries may have been lying in wait for an opportunity like this."

"She's right, you know," agreed Freya, "right now our priority needs to be finding a means of easing you back into life without attracting any attention. I doubt the story of the all immortal Original Hybrid who laid down his life for his daughter and came back from the dead is going to stay contained for long."

There was a loud thrash as Klaus stood up banging his palms on the table, startling everyone. "Do you THINK I don't know all this?!" he yelled, anger and frustration evident in his voice, "This is _exactly_ what I was worried would happen when I realized that I would come back as a human, but there's nothing I can do about it…yet." The three of them stared at him in surprise and he continued.

"Unfortunately, activating my werewolf gene would involve murder, which I assume is still frowned upon," he said, rolling his eyes, "and not to mention that would leave me at the mercy of the full moon when it comes to turning, something I'd rather not have to deal with."

"I'm guessing using Hope's blood to restore you back to a Hybrid isn't an option," Marcel inferred.

"Not unless I want to be sired to my daughter; that's not exactly an ideal situation to be in when playing the role of a father to a teenager. One can imagine there will be numerous times that decisions would have to be made and actions would have to be taken for her own good, even if she may not agree with them."

"One can only imagine," Rebekah said, rolling her eyes and exchanging knowing looks with Marcel, who now had a small smile on his face.

"Hold on," Freya said, leaning forward again, "what if there's no sire bond involved if Hope gives her blood?"

"What are you going on about Sister, there's no way around the sire bond," said Klaus, impatiently. "Also, I have no interest in following in the footsteps of that insufferable Lockwood boy and breaking myself out of it."

"No no, think about it brother," Freya persisted, "Hayley died giving birth and it was technically Hope's blood in her system that brought her back to life as a Hybrid. She didn't develop a sire bond; she had the natural mother's bond in place." Freya now spoke excitedly, "What if the same applies to direct relatives, or in this case, parents?"

Klaus casually twirled a knife from the table between his fingers and considered his sister's point. The situation was unheard of, but then again so was a Tribrid baby born to a Hybrid and a werewolf. "How do we even know if this is how blood-relation sire bonds work?"

Freya shrugged. "We don't. I guess the real question would be, would you rather be a sired Hybrid who can protect her or a human?" she said, looking at him questioningly. Klaus shook his head and leaned forward with his hands gripping the edges of the table.

"Let's just be clear about one thing," he started, his voice lowered to the point of almost being a growl, "I didn't come back to be everyone's dainty little flower that needs protection, I came back to be a father to Hope, one of the primary roles of which is keeping her safe."

Klaus looked around at everyone slowly before continuing. "But…if taking the risk of testing the parental sire-bond theory is something I have to try in order to do so, I shall consider it in the foreseeable future." Everyone at the table lightly exchanged glances with each other and nodded in agreement.

"Well then," Klaus finished, "Why don't we all settle in?"

* * *

WHOOSH. THWACK! The thud of fighting sticks colliding cracked through the serene sounds of the water flowing under the deck and the breeze blowing through the trees in the vast Salvatore grounds. Hope was panting and steadfastly held her stick in a defense position as an equally out-of-breath Alaric Saltzman held his, beaming at her with pride.

"Good job, Hope," he said, releasing his stance and turning to pack his things. "How about we call it a day?"

"Tired so soon, Dr. Saltzman?" Hope teased her Principal with a smile on her face as she pulled out a water bottle from her own bag, taking a large sip. "You're getting old."

He narrowed his eyes at her knowing Hope was only teasing and she flashed back a grin. They grabbed their bags and proceeded to walk back towards the boarding school.

"I heard Lizzie came to you for help with a project she's working on," Alaric mentioned as he and Hope made their way through the woods. "How did that go?"

"Actually," Hope hesitated, "I agreed to help her this weekend and I just found out I can't because I need to be home in New Orleans." She shrugged, "I'm still working out how I'm going to break the news to her when I'm sure it took a lot of effort for her to even admit she needed help with something, let alone ask me for it. I don't want to scare her away."

"I'm sure it will be fine," Alaric laughed and looked at her thoughtfully. "What do you mean you _need_ to be home, is everything okay, Hope?" He had genuine concern in his eyes which brought a smile on Hope's face.

"Dr. Saltzman you can get out of pseudo-father mode, everything's fine. I guess Aunt Freya just wants to see me and I for one wouldn't want to go against the wishes of a pregnant woman."

Alaric smiled back at her. "It's Friday, so classes get done early today. Leaving right after that?" he asked.

"Yeah, Jake's coming to pick me up and I should be back home by midnight or so."

"You sure you'll be alright? Wouldn't you rather wait and go Saturday morning? Caroline's flying back by then and you could probably meet her too."

"Actually I kinda got the impression that Aunt Freya was really eager to see me so I'm quite curious to see what that's all about. Don't worry Dr. Saltzman, I'll be fine."

"Fine. But you're texting me as soon as you get there."

"Deal!" Hope laughed.

The Salvatore School was one that encouraged keeping journals to record their daily activities, which was something that was probably an homage to Stefan Salvatore, one of the previous owners who's journals were displayed in their library and referred to for information now and then. It was a habit that Hope took a liking to and she continued to scroll notes into her journal as she stepped out ready to leave the school, only pausing to spell her bags into the trunk just as Jake was moving to load them into the car. 'Every single time,' she heard Jake grumble and looked up for a second before her eyes went back to her book.

Jumping into the back seat, she looked out her window, not seeing anyone apart from Dr. Saltzman waving back at her. She really needed to shed her inhibition of being the only Tribrid in the world and try to make more friends, she thought to herself and made a note of it. Her parents would have wanted it, she sighed as the car rolled out of the main gates of the school.

"Hit it, Jake," Hope said, stretching her legs across the entire back seat and making herself comfortable. "You know the drill."

Jake simply nodded; a small smile showing on his face as he turned the music on. A sonata by Mozart began to play and Jake settled into his seat, eyes fixed on the road.

"Are we stopping at the usual place to grab a bite and pick up snacks on the way?" Hope asked, knowing what his answer would be. He nodded again and Hope laughed, "You know, we wouldn't need to be playing any of this music you clearly don't enjoy if you were more of a conversationalist." Jake's smile broke out into a bright smile, showing off his incredibly white teeth. Hope absently wondered why she'd never noticed the whiteness of his teeth before and got back to her journal.

Halfway through the journey, they made a pit stop at their customary place that Hope had mentioned, grabbing sandwiches and something to wash them down with as well as an array of road trip snacks.

"You know these guys never do their version of the Peanut Butter Blast right, like back at the Grill," Hope commented to Jake as she got back into the car, "They _never_ listen when I tell them I like the whipped cream at the bottom."

"I can pick one up before we leave the next time," Jake said, starting the car, "Besides, there's only so much you can expect from a gas station milkshake."

"He speaks!" Hope exclaimed with a big smile on her face, "It's nice to know it was my beverage choice that got you interested enough to engage in a chat with me after all these times you've driven me."

"Well I am a chef, if that clarifies things."

"Really, where? Don't tell me you're at the Grill," Hope looked incredulously at Jake as he slowly smiled at her. "Huh. I guess it makes sense that I've never noticed you in the few times that I've visited the place; you're all the way in the back slaving all day behind a stove!" Jake looked amused at her excitement and simply continued to drive.

"So what are you doing here, driving me between Mystic Falls and New Orleans every other weekend?" Hope asked, unsure if she would be intruding by doing so but curious anyway.

"Money," Jake stated plainly, "Mikaelsons pay well for babysitting their princess," he added with an uncharacteristically cheeky smile.

Hope huffed out a shocked laugh, "Babysit!? You're barely a few years older than me!"

"The Crescent pack owes it to your mom and by default to you. That's how I even got this job in the first place." He sighed, "I guess I was someone they could trust."

"Hmm," Hope frowned and turned to look out the window. "So, what do you plan to do with all this generous money you're earning?"

"Well, something needs to pay for Cooking School. It's not like I plan to be at the Grill forever."

"That's too bad, I was hoping to crash into your kitchen the next time I dropped by," Hope joked, flashing a bright smile, eliciting one out of him in return.

 _Oh my God, am I flirting with Jake the driver_? _He is cute though with his curly hair and great smile and how have I never noticed this before…oh my god, Hope, get a grip_!

She internally reprimanded herself and made a firm decision that this was a probably a response to her not really having any friends at school. Besides, some harmless flirting never killed anyone and he _was_ supposed to take care of her anyway, right?

"How about this," Hope suggested, "Why don't we shut the music, I stop treating you like an Uber driver and come up in front, and then you can tell me all about your plans to become a famous Chef."

"Hope, there's at least three more hours to go before we get you home. I promise you, I'm not that interesting."

"I will be the judge of that, besides I have literally nothing better to do," Hope looked at him expectantly. Jake exhaled deeply.

"Fine."

Hope and Jake spent the rest of the journey swapping stories about their hopes and dreams, which according to Hope was a welcome change from what would otherwise have been just another silent drive. The music was gone, the windows were rolled down and snacks were polished off.

As expected, it was a little past midnight when Jake's car smoothly slid into the reserved parking space in front of the Mikaelson compound gate. Just as Hope began to open the passenger door, Jake reached out and stopped her suddenly, only realizing a moment too late that his hand was on hers clutching the door handle. He quickly jerked his hand back and Hope's eyes darted to his, slightly alarmed.

"What?" she choked out.

Jake broke their eye contact and looked away. "Erm, Hope, just before you go in there, I thought you should know…" Hope looked on, waiting for him to finish, "…just brace yourself for what you're about to see, okay? Don't freak out."

"What are you talking about?" Hope asked, confused, "What's going on, why's everyone being weird?" She began to panic slightly and stepped out of the car, shutting the door and leaning back against it. Jake got out and sped to her side, putting his arms on her shoulders. "Everything is fine Hope, I just thought you deserved to be a little…prepared before you go in. Come on, let me take your things and get you inside, it's late." He pulled her bags out of the trunk and began to take it to the gate while Hope observed him.

"You know it's rude to drop a bomb like that and just leave me in the dark afterwards," she quipped.

"Honestly, it isn't my story to tell but I wanted to give you a heads up nevertheless. Don't worry, you won't be in the dark for long now," he said, dropping her bags and walking back towards the car. "Guess I'll see you on the way back."

"You're leaving? It's late, aren't you going to come in? There's more than enough room in this house."

"Not part of my deal, Princess," Jake shrugged and got into the car. "Enjoy your weekend," he waved at her as he swerved out of the parking space and drove off. Hope scoffed in annoyance as she watched his car zoom away.

"Hope." She turned around to see her aunt Freya opening the gate, "Come on in."

Hope hugged her aunt and brought her bags inside. She walked in and began to ask Freya about what was going on when she stopped on her feet abruptly, noticing someone standing next to the table in the courtyard.

Freya began to say something but Hope was barely aware of it. Her eyes wide, she dropped her bags and slowly began to walk towards the figure, biding time to allow her mind to process what she was seeing.

 _I must be dreaming_. _Maybe I fell asleep in the car on the way here. Yeah, that's it_.

She blinked twice but her surroundings remained unchanged. Her focus came back to the person standing calmly in front of her.

The same loving eyes, the same smile, the same hands that had showed her how to mix paint…there was no mistaking it.

Hope hesitated for a moment before cautiously walking closer to the man and her voice came out a hoarse whisper.

"Dad?"

The figure stood still, eyes full of tears.

"Hello, sweetheart."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooh, well that finally happened but I'm sorry if that wasn't necessarily the only reunion you were waiting for ;) Don't worry, 'that' will happen sooner than you think!
> 
> Also, I know Caroline wasn't actually in this chapter but I hope you enjoyed how I inserted her into Klaus' thoughts (You're lying if you weren't grinning as much as Klaus was when Marcel told him he should go to Mystic Falls more often on The Originals! Haha)...I thoroughly enjoyed writing that along with all the Legacies tie-ins.
> 
> Anyway, we'll see what happens next...hope you guys are still with me. Let me hear what you think...reviews are honestly like little rays of sunshine in these cloudy times (too dramatic? Ok, I'll stop) Cheers!


	9. Hope, Love and Understanding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Klaus finally meets his daughter and they spend the weekend catching up on life, school and other things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before I let you go ahead, I just want to take a moment to thank those who make the time to review & share your love - it's especially uplifting during gloomy times like these, so thank you! I know we're all excited for Klaus to meet Hope so I'm just going to stop typing and let you read in peace.
> 
> Disclaimer: TVD, not mine.

Hope stared at the figure before her that looked and sounded exactly like her father.

Her very dead father.

Her eyes still wide, she turned back to her aunt Freya, "Wait, what… what is this?" she asked, her voice shaking.

"I know it's a lot to take in, Hope," Freya started, slowly approaching her.

"Well, _that's_ an understatement of epic proportions," Hope bit out, tears starting to cloud her vision.

"It's true, honey," came another voice and Hope turned towards it to see her aunt Rebekah who was now standing next to Marcel, both of whom had just stepped into her view. "Your father's alive, Hope."

The logical part of her brain was reaching for some kind of explanation and she ran her hands over her face. But despite rubbing her eyes so hard she thought she might bruise herself, her 'father' still stood there before her.

"Come here, love, don't be afraid," Klaus said in a voice that he hoped would soothe his daughter enough for her to trust him. He stretched out his hand and looked earnestly at her.

Hope eyed Klaus' outstretched hand suspiciously before slowly reaching out and taking it, gasping when she made contact and nearly feeling her heart in her mouth when he gently pulled her into a hug. She resisted out of shock first and then finally gave in, tears now streaming down her face and onto Klaus's shirt. Klaus hugged his daughter as tightly as he could, almost as if he was afraid that she would disappear if he let go of her again. "Hope, my heart," he whispered. Hope's wall of skepticism crumbled upon hearing him say those words and she sobbed into his arms. "I'm so happy to see you again, my littlest wolf," Klaus continued to talk to her, stroking her hair.

"H-how is this happening right now?" Hope finally managed to choke out. She and Klaus broke apart from their embrace and looked at each other.

"You'll probably need to sit down for this, love."

Despite Klaus' suggestion that Hope get some sleep as it was late and that the story would be better received in the morning, Hope's protests that she wouldn't be able to get any sleep anyway led to him recounting his tale to her that very night. The others went to bed eventually, leaving him and his daughter in the courtyard under the light of the full moon as he continued to broadly tell her about how he swapped the Hollow in return for his life to a Claire witch while the two of them sat sipping on cups of green tea. Hope made her face after taking another taste.

"I'm really missing my sugary drinks right now," she commented.

"Well, this is all that your aunt Freya keeps at home currently, what with her going on a health spree for the sake of her baby and all that," Klaus smirked at her. "She's worried and understandably so, that keeping sugary treats in the house will lead to her giving in to all her cravings and binge-eating. Don't worry, we can treat ourselves properly tomorrow morning," Klaus chuckled but Hope narrowed her eyes at him.

"How do you…wait, how long have you been back, Dad?"

Klaus sighed knowing she had to find out at some point, "It's only been two days, but –"

"You've been back for TWO days and you're telling me _now_?" Hope's voice raised a little, her eyes widening in exasperation.

"Sweetheart, I thought that finding out something like this would be better received at home, surrounded by family."

"That school _is_ my home now."

"I'm sure it is, what with the great management running the place," Klaus commented with a smirk, trying to lighten the mood – unsuccessfully by the looks of Hope's face – "…but you know what I meant. Hope, sweetheart, don't be angry."

"I'm not angry, I'm just mad you didn't think I could handle the news myself," Hope pouted, her arms crossed.

Klaus smiled at her, sensing she was cooling down, "Let me make it up to you with something sweet tomorrow morning…something that is _not_ green tea."

"I hope you don't plan to compel yourself a table full of beignets like the last time," Hope laughed, remembering when he had told her the story of how beignets first came to New Orleans.

Klaus' smile slowly faded from his face, "Sweetheart, about that…" he started, with an almost apologetic look on his face as he realized he had missed mentioning a key part of his story to her. "I won't be compelling anyone…for now."

Hope frowned, confused by his statement. "I was kidding, but…that's good I guess? I was never really on board with the whole compelling thing although I understand it could be useful sometimes – "

"No love, you misunderstand me," Klaus shook his head, "I don't think you realized it but I…I'm human now."

Hope raised her eyebrows in mild surprise. "Oh," was all she said. Klaus looked away, almost seeming ashamed.

"I understand you may have mixed feelings about me being in human form but I promise to do the best within my limits to protect you, even in the absence of my Hybrid powers to keep you safe."

Hope huffed in shock, "Mixed _feelings_?" she exclaimed, turning her father's face to look at her, "Dad, do you really think I care what _form_ you're in right now? You're ALIVE!"

Klaus opened and shut his mouth but Hope continued, "Hybrid, human or otherwise, you're my Dad. You're _always_ and forever going to be my loving, protective father," Hope sighed, "and I will love you all the same." Klaus gave her a sheepish grin and Hope smiled back at him as she leaned back against her chair.

"I still can't believe that you're here…that you're _really_ here," she whispered. Klaus reached out across the table and squeezed her hand.

"Don't doubt it for a moment, love. Now, how about you go get some sleep?"

The next morning was like a repeat of Klaus' first breakfast after coming back to life, except this time Freya wasn't the one responsible.

"I see you're already using the new phone I got you to order people around and bring you breakfast," Freya teased her brother looking at the table.

"Would you rather I compelled someone?" Klaus smirked, "Besides, that chauffeur wolf was more than willing to gather breakfast items for the house."

"Trust me, she's not complaining," Keelin pointed out while Freya laughed and took a seat, already piling things on to her plate.

"Are we planning on eating sugar every morning now?" groaned Rebekah, who had just come down from her room, with Marcel in tow. "This is getting exhausting."

"Good Morning everyone!" came a voice from the top of the stairs. Klaus looked up to see his smiling daughter in her matching PJ's excitedly running down the steps. She dashed straight towards him and wrapped him in a tight hug. "Good morning, Dad," she said softly.

"Good morning sweetheart," he replied, his heart warm with emotion. "Are you ready to indulge in all the food we discussed missing out on last night?"

"Oh, yeah!" Hope exclaimed, sitting next to him and grabbing a plate for herself.

"Well, this is quite the domestic scene I never thought I'd witness in the Mikaelson family in my lifetime," Rebekah joked, but the smile on her face was genuine.

"That's saying a lot," Marcel chimed in as he took a seat, "…considering the immortality."

"Well, I'm on my second life so I'm finding it slightly more believable," Klaus shrugged and Rebekah rolled her eyes at him.

"I actually woke up this morning worried that last night was dream," admitted Hope, smiling and turning to Klaus, "and I'm so glad it wasn't," she placed her head on his shoulder as if to prove her point and Klaus' face broke into one of his rare wide grins with his dimples showing. Freya and Rebekah couldn't help exchanging small smiles seeing their brother so happy.

"If this doesn't call for a toast, I don't know what does," Rebekah announced, standing up with her glass of wine raised, "To 'Always and Forever'," she said while the others raised their respective breakfast beverages of choice and repeated after her. As she sat back down, she noticed Klaus's drink. "Nik, I think this is possibly the first time I've ever seen you drink freshly squeezed orange juice," she observed with an amused smirk. Klaus shrugged at her.

"It's my understanding that as a human it wouldn't be in my best interest to start consuming alcohol so early in the day," he stated, winking at her.

Rebekah huffed out a laugh, "Well look at you Nik, embracing your humanity."

"I have to admit Brother, you've been taking it surprisingly well," Freya finally spoke up, who until now had been quietly enjoying the sugary spread of a breakfast.

"I've simply accepted that if being human is what allows me to be with my daughter without endangering her, it's more than worth it," he said genuinely, turning to Hope who simply kept her plate aside and hugged him again.

"I can't wait to tell my friends about you, Dad," Hope said excitedly, "So everyone knows that I'm Hope Mikaelson now, by the way. Not to mention, since your death, you've actually developed a cult following of sorts…which is interesting considering all the texts in our library having you as the starring villain," she continued breathlessly, "And I'm glad I'll no longer be known as the orphan Tribrid who – "

"Hope, sweetheart," Klaus interrupted her spiel, putting his arms on her shoulders in a bid to calm her down. "Can we speak for a moment?"

Hope furrowed her brows in confusion. "What's wrong, Dad?"

"Thing is, love," Klaus explained softly, "I don't plan to let the world know about my return… at least, not just yet."

"Why not?" she demanded immediately, mild anger evident in her voice.

"Don't worry, it's only till I figure out a way to evolve into a stronger version of myself," he assured her, "Until then we need to keep it a secret to ensure your safety and the safety of this whole family."

"I don't understand, I thought you were fine with being human," Hope argued, "I told you I was okay with it too!"

"Hope you have to understand that after all my years of being the most powerful creature in the world, it's not easy to feel like you're in a position of strength in the form of a human, as… _refreshing_ as the experience is. We have to be practical about this and wait till I find a way to get most or at least some of my powers back."

Hope looked at Klaus in disbelief. "But that's hypocritical, Dad! You literally just spoke about how okay it was to be human and now you want to just go ahead and tempt fate by trying different ways to get your power back? And moreover, I'm supposed to return to being quiet little Hope Marshall who can't speak about her family at school and move on with life? No thank you!" She stood and stormed off from the table and ran back up the stairs into her room. There was loud thud from her door closing and Rebekah sighed.

"Well, that didn't last long, did it?" she mused.

"Hope." Klaus knocked on her door a little while later, sparing her some time to cool off before approaching her to try and talk to her. "Love, are you alright in there?"

"Just give me some space, Dad," Hope's muffled voice came through the door. Klaus sighed.

"Let me come in and explain, sweetheart," Klaus pleaded with her, "Just see things from my perspective."

There was no response from Hope and Klaus was about to walk away when he heard her say, "Come in."

Klaus opened the door to see Hope sprawled across her bed, her head resting on her crossed arms over her pillow and turned away from him. Klaus walked up to her bed, sat on the edge and soothingly stroked her back. "Hope, please look at me," he urged. Hope slowly turned her head to face her father, her teary eyes full of questions. "What is this really about, sweetheart?" Klaus gently asked her.

Hope rubbed her eyes and sat up. "Dad, I already lost you once and it was so soon after mom…that was one of the most painful phases of my life," she stated, looking down at her fumbling hands, "And now that you're here by some miracle and we both have a second chance at this, I just…I just can't believe you're willing to put your life to the test by doing whatever you plan to do in order to get your supernatural powers back. How do you know this will work on you? How do you know the same rules even apply to you anymore? How can you be sure, you won't get killed in the process…for good this time?" Tears were running down her face by the time she was done with her rant and Klaus put an arm around her shoulder comforting her.

"Nothing is going to take me away from you again, I promise," he told her, "Just trust that I know what I'm doing."

"What were you even planning to do anyway?" Hope asked curiously.

"We had a few options in mind, the last resort being we could try using your blood to turn me back into a Hybrid."

"But wouldn't that make you sired to me?" she asked, a small smile on my face, "I can think of ways that could be useful," she added with a cheeky grin.

"There's a working theory regarding that but Freya will figure something out," he smirked. "Now what is this about a certain cult following I seem to have?"

"What's the point, it's not like I can tell anyone I got my father back," Hope pouted, her arms crossed.

"How about this," Klaus looked Hope in the eye, "Give me three months…and no matter what state I am in by then, you can announce it to the world yourself. Perhaps on your sixteenth birthday?" he added with a questioning grin. "I reckon we can even have a big celebration at the Abattoir and invite your friends from school over."

"Dad, if this is your idea of a birthday gift…" she paused, in mock-anger, "…I love it!" she finished with a wide smile on her face. "Thank you," she whispered, giving a quick kiss on her father's cheek. "We don't have to have a party or anything though; I don't really have _that_ many friends…"

"Nonsense," Klaus dismissed, "as a father I'm proud to finally get the chance to give my daughter a real birthday party. Besides…" he leaned closer to Hope with a wide grin on his face, "I love birthdays."

"Really?" Hope said, incredulous, "Dad, you're over a thousand years old."

"And you love, are turning sixteen," he pointed out, "I was of the understanding that it's supposedly a significant turning point in a modern teenager's life."

"Maybe, but – "

"That's settled then," Klaus said, clasping his hands together, "You love, are going to have the best Sweet Sixteen party you have ever seen."

"Now that's a sentence I'm guessing no one could imagine hearing the 'Great Evil Klaus Mikaelson' say," Hope joked, looking at her father.

"And no one will," Klaus stated dryly, "Such special treatment is reserved solely for my daughter."

"Okay fine, let's do the party. As long as I can finally share with the world that I've gotten my Dad back, I think I can handle that much."

"I'm glad to see you're in agreement but I was going to throw that party regardless," Klaus grinned at her and Hope playfully punched his shoulder.

"Then it's a good thing I have three months to go before my birthday. That's enough time to make some friends right?" Hope cracked a half-smile.

Klaus' face turned serious. "Why? Are you having trouble at school?" he asked, worry in his voice.

"What, no! Everyone's great…especially now that they all know that I'm Hope Mikaelson I don't feel like I'm in hiding anymore," Hope said, shrugging. "But it does get a little lonely being the only Tribrid, like ever, because you're not truly a part of any of the factions there, not really."

Klaus shifted closer to her, "Sweetheart, you are strong, beautiful and most importantly, you are a Mikaelson. Being different should hardly stop you from creating meaningful relationships with others. I can tell you this because it took me over a thousand years to realize…that despite being the Original Hybrid, I was responsible for my own loneliness. It wasn't easy for me to trust anyone but over time the friends I have gained are few and precious to me." Klaus looked at Hope in earnest, "Just be true to yourself and the ones that truly matter will come around."

"Thanks Dad," she responded and Klaus gave a soft kiss on her forehead. With that Hope sat up straight and asked, "So what do you want to do today?"

"Well, considering I can't step out of the compound or be seen by the outside world yet, our activity options may be slightly limited," Klaus said with a tilt of his head.

Hope frowned. "Dad, what do you plan to do for three months cooped up in here?" she asked.

Klaus sighed. "To start with, your Aunt Freya and I plan on figuring out a way to return me to my Original Hybrid form with the least amount of, how do I put this…unfavorable consequences."

"You mean without the whole murder thing to activate your wolf side and using my blood to turn?"

"Ideally, yes. But like I mentioned earlier, the option of using your blood is only going to be maintained as more of a last resort." Hope just nodded and decided not to push the topic any further.

"What else?"

"I intend to use the time to catch up on the goings-on of the people I used to know; gather intelligence, update on the current affairs etcetera; you know I like to be well-informed."

"Of course, Mom used to tell me about you being this master strategist in the family; she always said she thought you were too smart for your own good," Hope stared pointedly at Klaus, who let out a deep exhale.

"Love, I need you to understand that as one of the oldest creatures on the planet, one who was supposed to be dead for good, the dangers that we may have to face upon my return and it being known to the public are something we can't predict. I need to be prepared for it, for the sake of our family, for our safety. And the fact that I might still be human at the time might be making things worse for us so I need to get a little…creative…figure out ways to work around that little complication."

Hope looked at Klaus thoughtfully and frowned. "Is it really that big a deal that we're announcing to the world that you're alive? Dad, we don't have to, I just wanted –"

"Hope, sweetheart, don't," Klaus stopped her short, "The truth is bound to come out eventually; we might as well spread the news in a controlled environment in the presence of family and friends. It would be a ridiculous idea to stay hidden for an unforeseeable amount of time depending on when Freya finds a solution to my situation. I don't want you to question your wish to share your happiness with your friends. Besides," he added with an impish grin, "the party will give me a chance to evaluate those you spend time with. Speaking of which, is there any special companion I should know about?"

Hope rolled her eyes, "That's actually what you wanted to ask in the first place isn't it?"

"No point keeping it from me, I would find out soon enough anyway."

Hope sighed. "No Dad, there's no one of that sort."

"Not even the townie you danced with that night in the square at Mystic Falls?"

"What! No, I see him sometimes when I visit the Grill, but nothing aside from that…"

Klaus frowned, "Well, that's too bad. I was looking forward to assessing his qualities and compelling him to priesthood if he didn't fulfill the right criteria to date my daughter."

"Dad! I hope you're not serious!" Hope laughed. Klaus just shrugged.

"Okay, we need to move _on_ from this topic," Hope hopped off the bed and gestured at a pile of frames in the corner. "Would you like to see the art pieces I've been working on since you've been gone?"

"I'd love to," Klaus said with a smile.

The father-daughter duo spent the next two days making up for lost time and before they knew it, the weekend was up and it was time for Hope to go back to her school.

"It's going to be weird keeping this a secret from Dr. Saltzman," Hope commented as she piled more of her things into her backpack while Klaus looked on, "I spend a lot of one-on-one time with him when training. Good thing I don't see Ms. Forbes as much because that would be weird too."

Klaus felt a smile tug at the corner of his lips at the mention of Caroline. "I thought she was Ms. Forbes-Salvatore?"

"She was, up until a month or two ago when she suddenly underwent this whole transformation," Hope shrugged as she closed the zipper on her last bag, "I overheard Lizzie Saltzman refer to it as 'Mommy's mid-eternity crisis' to her sister Josie once. She got this whole new look, began spending more time in town than she used to and that's around when she dropped the extra name too. I'm not complaining; Forbes-Salvatore was a mouthful anyway." Klaus couldn't help but get some petty satisfaction from hearing his daughter say that.

"Actually, somewhere during the month following your death she had gone away for awhile and when she came back she already seemed a little different," Hope absently observed as she used a spell to send her luggage out of the room and into Jake's car waiting outside for her, "I remember this because I was really depressed during that time and Dr. Saltzman was the only one around to talk me through it then."

Klaus felt a surge of gratitude towards Alaric knowing he was there for his daughter in her time of need.

Hope continued to speak as they walked down the stairs and towards the gate and Klaus tried to hold back from letting himself ruminate over the possibility that his death and Caroline's seemingly sudden change of behavior were connected in any way.

Klaus immediately made a mental note to try and reach out to Caroline as soon as he could before she learned that he was alive and well from anyone else; he owed her that much.

 _That's just an excuse to connect with her_ , a small voice in his head prompted and he couldn't find it in him to deny it. If he was being honest with himself, it was true that he hadn't been able to stop thinking about seeing her again, not since her confession during the vision. In reality the joy of meeting his daughter and the rest of his family superseded everything else and had but temporarily silenced that part of him that was craving for her ever since he got back.

" _I loved him, you know._ " He could still hear her voice in his mind echoing the words.

He wanted to be able to say the words back to her, words known but maintained unspoken between them. He wanted to hear her say it to his face, freely for once without anything holding her back. He hadn't accounted for the time jump in his return, but with a second chance at life he had been questioning if he wanted to leave his relationship with Caroline to chance this time, since the circumstances his first time around had led to his passing before his plans with her could come to fruition on its own.

"…a nice boyfriend too, I guess dropping the extra name was her idea of moving on from her husband," Hope's voice broke through his extended train of thought as they stopped at the entrance gate. Klaus only then realized he had missed parts of Hope's commentary but for the one word that caught his attention.

"What boyfriend?" Klaus asked, his eyebrows furrowed.

"This cute doctor who works with the Salvatore doctor in town," Hope replied, her focus on making sure she got all her things leaving her aloof to the displeasure on Klaus' face. "Ms. Forbes has been dating him for a while now. He comes to school sometimes to refill supplies in the medical wing. Anyway, I've been rambling about school for a while now, I better get going." She pulled Klaus into a hug and whispered into his chest, "I'm so glad you're here, Dad." Klaus leaned in to her embrace and smiled.

"Me too, sweetheart."

"Just so you know I'll be coming home every weekend now, every single weekend till you get bored of me!" She laughed and walked to the car, where Jake was waiting. "I love you," she mouthed as she jumped into the car and waved at him from behind the glass. Klaus waved back at her and watched from his spot behind the gates, away from the view of outsiders.

After the car had driven away, he turned and walked up to his room, shutting the door behind him and collecting his thoughts. Glad once more that Freya had left everything as it was, he walked up to his desk. He sat down and took a moment to be grateful for having been able to simply _be_ with his daughter this weekend, for the real chance to be a father to her.

His humanity was making him feel things he hadn't felt in a long time and it was strangely pleasant.

He also felt some fear, his bad experience with his father still pricking him after all these years into thinking everything could go terribly wrong. He then remembered Caroline's accusation that he was using Mikael as an excuse to be a bad father and decided he wouldn't let that happen again.

He didn't used to think people were capable of change, not really, least of all an old soul like him. But Caroline's conviction that he had come a long way somehow gave him the strength to believe he might actually be able to pull this off. From a time when he once believed that love was a vampire's greatest weakness, he was now at a point where it was love that had become his salvation.

In death he had found life again.

He took a moment to recognize that he was truly happy at this moment; a human still, but happy all the same. His heart however felt heavy for a different reason altogether.

He opened a drawer in his desk, pleased to see his old sketchbook was still in there with some of his other art supplies. He pulled the book out and opened it up to a page in the middle, a smile appearing on his face.

Klaus had burnt his sketches of Caroline from long ago when he had been angry with her for reasons he didn't care to remember anymore. But the one he was looking at now was something he did right after meeting up with her during his visit to Mystic Falls upon hearing of Katerina being on her deathbed.

He looked at the sketch, his memory retracing the strokes he had made of Caroline's glorious face and neck across the page as he strived to bring her to life on paper. Confident charcoal lines outlined her head rested on a bed of dried leaves and grass, bits of which were entangled in her luscious locks of hair that he had made cascade across the page. Her eyes were closed and her expression sated, with her lips slightly parted. The sketch extended till just below her bare shoulders, leaving the rest to the imagination.

Not that he needed to imagine all that much. The image of Caroline in her afterglow was burned into his mind, something that could never be erased from his psyche.

This had to be why it was bothering him so much that Caroline was seeing someone. His rational side argued that it had almost been a year since he died and with the time that had passed, it was only natural that she had moved on; she had mourned him and gone forth with her life as was to be expected of anyone in her position.

As an Original Hybrid, over the centuries he had mastered the ability to keep his feelings in check when he needed them to be but at this moment his very human emotions made him restless. That side of him pressed him about how it felt unfair that he had finally witnessed Caroline come to terms with her feelings for him like he'd always wished for, only to now have to bitterly acknowledge that he had missed his window due to the inconvenience that was his death.

As much as it hurt, he had to accept that he had to let her go. He had to be happy for her with this man if that was what she truly desired. He suddenly wondered if the man was vampire or a werewolf and was hit with an oh-so-brief moment of inferiority complex about currently being at the bottom of the supernatural food chain. He hated that his humanity was being questioned with these petty thoughts and that is when he made up his mind.

He would keep his promise of letting Caroline live her life and waiting for her, even though as a human with a certain life expectancy, 'however long it takes' seemed like an empty promise that bordered on irrational.

As a human, it felt futile to leave to fate that maybe someday she'd come back to him. But he was a man of his word and decided to make the unfortunate choice of letting her be.

It would appear Caroline would have to hear about him with the rest of the world then.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I can hear everyone collectively saying "Seriously!" a la Caroline Forbes but just stick with me, alright? Also, looks like Klaus is going into lockdown mode which should be easy enough to write considering the current situation right? Yay :-/
> 
> I enjoy writing Mikaelson family banter so that was a fun chapter, hope you guys felt it too! A character note about Hope, I'm writing her character as the person in season 5 of TO who was kinda immature & annoying to a point (remember, this is about two years before her life experience turned her into the Legacies badass she is), at least this is how I see it. What do you think? As always, love to hear from you guys! Until then, see you next week with a very, very exciting chapter ;)


	10. The Birthday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A time jump leads to the much awaited event...Hope's birthday party at the Abattoir.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, it's that time again and here's an update as promised :) I feel like I left you guys a little bit on the edge with the last one so I'm not going to ramble too much.
> 
> Heads up: in true TVD/TO style we begin with a Time Jump (of sorts, and well it's not really that much tbh) but other than that I really hope you guys like this chapter because I certainly had a lot of fun with it. Enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: I'm a JP pretender trying to make things on in the TVD universe go MY WAY.

Time flew by without incident until there was just over a week to go for Hope's birthday. In the small span of three months, Klaus felt like he had to readjust his perception of time as a human. It felt strange to be aging for the first time in centuries; he could have sworn he could physically feel all the small changes in his body over the short period of time.

Surprisingly, he didn't feel like he was too bothered by it. Perhaps it was because his family was in the process of figuring a way out of it; he was unsure how he would feel about the idea if it had been on a more permanent basis. Klaus was adjusting to being human better than he or any of his siblings thought he would but in all truthfulness he wanted to get back to his Original form as soon as he could. He and Freya had spent these months trying to figure out an alternative to taking blood from Hope while Marcel discreetly reached out to his witch contacts in the city. Rebekah on the other hand was spending her time trying to convince Klaus to remain human.

"I don't see why you can't just completely embrace being human and live out the rest of your life, you could fall in love, even have more kids if you wanted and make your own little family."

"Rebekah, these are your dreams not mine, so stop trying to deflect them onto me," Klaus said coolly. He was brushing away on his canvas in his room, taking a break from research with Freya when his younger sister had decided to come in and interrupt his alone time. "Perhaps this is your own impatience for the cure manifesting itself in this manner of misinformed advice, dear Sister," he smirked and Rebekah glared at him. "You know very well that I've always been comfortable being the strongest creature on the planet and completely embraced it, unlike you," he added. He didn't know why he was being so short with his sister; old habits die hard he supposed.

"Just because your efforts at finding a solution for your problem have been unproductive, doesn't mean you have to be more irritable than usual," Rebekah shot back. Klaus almost felt bad that she was probably right and that he was venting his frustration out on her. He turned to apologize and only then realized she had stormed out of the room. Sighing, he went back to his painting, patting his brush in a tiny jar of gold dust and using it to highlight parts of his painting. Once he was done with that, he stepped back to look at it as a whole.

It was another Post-Modern piece but the warmer, brighter color palette was slightly unlike what he usually went for. Straying away from the usual darkness he preferred to depict on his canvas, this one was luminous and could almost be described as…sunny.

It's not like his humanity had taken away his ability to express his dark side in his work – he had done at least three along those lines in the last couple of weeks – but this one looked the way it did for a reason. He had started this particular piece last week when he began to agonize over how he was going to deal with facing someone in the near future. Someone he could easily describe as radiant and full of light.

 _We're the same, Caroline_.

His words to her had flashed across his mind when justifying his need to get back to his Original form just a while ago to Rebekah. Having decided not to contact her since his return, he had to try especially hard to not think about Caroline when that's all he wanted to do – reach out to her, let her know he's alive, pull her close, run his thumb across her soft cheeks…

He shook his head, exasperated that his human form seemed to have affected all the control over his emotions that he had learnt to effortlessly manage over the years. He had decided to respect Caroline's need to move on and that's what he was going to do, if he had any hope of maintaining his friendship with her.

Over the past couple of months he was seeing her everywhere he looked – the memory of Caroline's declaration of love had been so fresh for him, it had unearthed all the feelings he had back from when he had first met her.

Their first dance, him showing her his art, the time she told him that she knew he was in love with her and he hadn't bothered to deny it – all the memories got so overwhelming to the point that last week he had decided to paint the piece he was currently working on in the hopes of getting her out of his system, even if only temporarily.

He wasn't sure if it was working or if it was making things worse. Even now as he saw the warm yellow swirls of his brush across the canvas highlighted with bits of golden all he could think of was Caroline's blonde curls bouncing off her shoulders in the sun and his unrelenting want to run his hands through them as he had walked beside her in the woods of Mystic Falls so long ago.

Instead he had chosen to let his fingers trace the outline of her curls through his art and this had unfortunately failed to serve its role as a placebo that would appease his deep-rooted craving for her. He hated that he had to deal with putting aside his freshly stirred up feelings for her all over again, keeping with his promise to her that he would wait for her till she was ready. He hated that she occupied so much of his mind when he had other things to worry about – like becoming a Hybrid again and…

What else did he have on his mind really? He wondered. His daughter was safe and happy and there was no current danger being faced by his family; perhaps it was his mind being habituated with having to work out multiple things at once that was giving way to other things he didn't think he needed to mull over, like the fact that in two weeks Caroline would find out that he was alive and human and had kept her in the dark about it for almost three months.

He reckoned that she could have truly moved on and couldn't care less that he was back. Or she could be so affected by it that it cost Caroline her relationship and she would end up resenting him for it. Perhaps he didn't want to know either way; he wasn't even sure why something like her response was making him so anxious in the first place. He should probably be thinking about all the other less friendly people who were going to find out about his return and what their retaliation would be.

Yes, that is what he would focus on instead, he told himself, along with an alternative way to get himself back into his Hybrid form without having to turn to his daughter, something he and his family had been unsuccessful with so far. Having decided that, he set his painting aside to dry, cleaned his brushes and stepped out of his room into the library to join a now very visibly pregnant Freya surrounded by piles of books. She smiled at him and he nodded at her, finding a seat and continuing his pursuit for answers.

* * *

"Who do you keep calling all the time?"

Hope had just hung up after a conversation with Klaus and looked up from her phone to see Josie Saltzman staring at her questioningly. "Sorry?"

For a moment, Josie looked embarrassed but repeated herself, "You don't really have any friends and you're almost never on the phone." She paused, looking apologetic like she didn't mean for her words to come out as rude as they sounded, "I just noticed you've been very active on your phone lately. Is there a boyfriend we don't know about?" she added curiously.

Hope raised her eyebrows not sure what to make of Josie's observation. Her sudden interest in phone calls probably had something to do with the fact that her father had come back to life and with this new development she was eager to tell him about her day, every day. The last few months she had been respectful of her father's wish to remain unseen by keeping quiet about it in school but she hadn't really taken into account the attention of other students on her change in activities.

"Err…" Hope started, "you know, party planning." Josie frowned in suspicion. "My birthday's coming up this weekend and I just needed everything to be perfect," Hope finished, not feeling like she sounded convincing at all.

"Oh right, we're all coming to your house in New Orleans," Josie, recollecting plans that were made. Just then, Lizzie popped up next to her, seemingly out of nowhere and joined the conversation.

"I still can't believe Dad even agreed to this stupid plan," Lizzie complained, rolling her eyes. "Some of us don't look forward to spending seven hours in a car with people they have no interest in spending time with to a party they are not interested in attending."

"Dad only agreed on the condition that he was there to chaperone us," Josie pointed out to Lizzie.

"You know, you don't _have_ to come," Hope told Lizzie with a wry smile, "You always have the option of staying back and spending the evening with homework."

"And leave the other innocent students unprotected from the horrors that await us in the Mikaelson house? I don't think so," Lizzie scoffed. "Dad's soft corner for you may have facilitated this lame road trip into happening, but I've got my eyes peeled for anything offbeat, just know that much," she said, using two fingers to point at her eyes and then towards Hope, who was rolling her eyes.

"Now that you've made your distaste for this gathering clear, I'm going back to my room where I can continue my planning without _any_ interruptions," Hope looked at them pointedly, stood up from the table and marched out of the hall, leaving the Saltzman twins exchanging glances.

Saturday came soon enough and Hope left school early that morning ahead of her friends who were coming home later that evening. After getting Jake to promise he'd come for her party too – to which she got a bored shrug in response – she grabbed her bags and entered the Mikaelson premises only to nearly walk into a handyman who seemed to be carrying planks of plywood out of the gate. Hope dropped her bags to the side and cautiously walked inside, her eyes widening as the Abattoir courtyard slowly came into view.

The place had been transformed – the entire courtyard had been redecorated with black and gold décor and some tasteful birthday elements to go with it. Hope could see her Aunt Rebekah ordering some workers around and getting things done; she waved at Hope seeing her and Hope waved back with an awkward smile on her face.

"Ah sweetheart, glad you're home," Hope turned to see Klaus come over and wrap her in a hug. She stood still while he hugged her; still unsure about what was happening around her.

"Err, Dad, what's going on here?" she asked hesitantly, looking around again.

"Apparently it's your Sweet Sixteen," Klaus replied, gesturing to all the hustle-bustle around him, "It was your Aunt Rebekah's idea and I wasn't going to turn down a chance to throw a decent gathering worthy of a Mikaelson for my only daughter," he smiled at her. Hope responded with an embarrassed smile.

"Isn't this a bit much, Dad? I mean, it's just a few people from school coming…"

"Nonsense. Rebekah has convinced me that when it comes to a Sweet Sixteen, nothing is too much."

"Oh boy…"

"Hope! Good, you're here already," Rebekah trotted up to them, giving Hope a quick hug with her clipboard still in hand, "I was wondering if you have a preference between caramel- peanut butter and classic chocolate for the cake," she inquired. Just as Hope opened her mouth to respond Rebekah cut in saying, "You know what let's do both just to be safe," and walked away again before Hope had the chance to react. Barely processing what just happened, she heard another familiar voice calling out to her.

"Hope! There's my favourite niece."

"Uncle Kol! You're here!" Hope went up to him and hugged him happily.

"Of course I am; I flew in last night and Nik filled me in on all the goings-on here. Now I hear a lot of your friends are coming for this shindig, anyone special I should know to grill?" He rubbed his palms together with an impish grin on his face, almost identical to the one that Hope had seen on her father once.

"Oh my God! Why is everyone so invested in me dating someone?" Hope scoffed, rolling her eyes, "I wasn't even sure you were coming, uncle Kol."

"There was no way I was missing my only niece's Sweet Sixteen!" Kol exclaimed. "Besides how could I miss a chance to enjoy teasing my brother about being in human form?"

"Shut it, Kol," Klaus muttered, not as irritated as he normally would have been with his younger brother.

"Come on Nik, give a man a moment to appreciate that his brother isn't the strongest creature in the world for once," he said cheekily, earning a glower and a shove from Klaus.

A couple of hours later, everything was in place. Rebekah was beaming, proud of her work while Hope took it all in, wondering how her friends were going to take it.

The important thing is, her Dad was going to be free today and she could tell the world about it – that's pretty much all she cared for at the moment.

It was a little after five in the evening when Hope heard Alaric's minivan roll up to the front of their house. Taking a deep breath, she straightened out her wine red V-neck dress she had paired with black strap stilettos. Her dad had gone upstairs with her uncle Kol to start off with their drinks.

Hope snapped her fingers, opened the gate and walked out as her friends got out of the car one by one. A big smile appeared on her face as Alaric stepped out and walked towards her. "Happy Birthday Hope," he said, wrapping her in a warm hug, "in advance," he added as he broke away from the hug. "Thanks for having your party a day early so we could use tomorrow to travel back to school."

"It's no problem, Dr. Saltzman," Hope replied, "I'm just glad everyone could make it. How was the journey? How's your hotel? The offer to stay at my place is still open; we have a _lot_ of room."

"Thanks Hope but the hotel we're staying at is just fine; pardon my deep-rooted apprehension about staying in a Mikaelson house," Alaric said unapologetically while Hope simply shook her head. "We just checked into our hotel rooms, freshened up and came straight here," Alaric continued, "the road trip was otherwise comfortable."

"Speak for yourself, Daddy," Lizzie spoke up walking towards them in a sky blue, knee-length dress that looked like it had been tailor-made for her. "If I have to spend any more time in that tuna can, I'm just going to make a well-informed decision to _walk_ back home."

Hope scoffed. "In those heels, Lizzie? I wouldn't really call that well-informed."

"It wasn't that bad," came Josie's soft voice as she joined them. Josie looked beautiful as well in her cream colored strapless dress.

"Easy for you to say Josie," snapped Lizzie, "You were plugged in ninety percent of the time with what I assume was your "I love-hate Penelope" playlist on repeat."

Josie scowled at her and turned to hug Hope, handing her a small wrapped box, "Happy Birthday Hope," she said, with a small smile.

Hope took the box, unable to hold back the surprise on her face, "Thank you Josie, you didn't have to." Just then she looked behind Josie to see her other school mates Milton Greasley aka MG, Kaleb and Jed walking up to her.

"Hey!" Hope said, exchanging hugs with her vampire friends MG & Kaleb first and then turning to Jed the werewolf, who settled for a tight-lipped smile and a handshake.

"Wow, Hope. I've never been to New Orleans before. It's nice to be in your city," MG said, excitedly looking around the streets.

"Yo MG, Nola's the place to be when it comes to reconnecting with the magic of Jazz," Kaleb said with unbridled enthusiasm, "And of course there's all the carnivals…but I'm personally more excited to finally get to see what used to be the _actual_ residence of the Big Bad Niklaus Mikaelson himself. No offence, Hope."

"None taken, Kaleb," Hope laughed nervously. If only he knew _how_ real his tour was going to get. "Let's head inside!" She started to lead the group of them towards the gate when Jed grabbed her arm.

"Hope, can I talk to you for a second?" he said in a low voice. Hope looked at him and nodded.

"You guys go ahead," she called out to the others to see they had already gone inside. She stepped to the side with Jed, looking at him questioningly. Jed pressed his lips together, looking slightly embarrassed.

"I have to ask…why am I here, Hope?" Jed asked, almost awkwardly.

Hope frowned, feigning innocence. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, why was I invited to this thing? We aren't exactly good friends."

"Oh. That." Hope looked at the box with Josie's gift in her hand, fingers fiddling with the ends of the wrapping. She looked up to see Jed looking at her expectantly. She sighed.

"Okay here's the truth Jed," Hope started, "I was asked by my family to call all my friends home for my birthday but I'm sure you know just as well as anyone at school that I'm not really the social types." Jed simply shrugged in agreement and she went on. "However, I promised myself that I would take an effort to make more friends at school…from all factions to be specific, being a Tribrid and everything. That's when I realized I don't really know anyone from the werewolf faction even though I _am_ technically part wolf – "

"I'm sorry but it's a little difficult for me to consider someone who doesn't have to feel the pain of breaking each bone in their body every full moon as a real wolf," Jed interrupted flatly.

Hope sighed. "I completely understand," she said sincerely, "But I had to try. And I thought to myself, who better to start with than the Alpha of the pack himself? I wasn't even sure you would show up, so thank you for that."

Jed held the same straight face for a few moments until he eventually nodded at her. "Fine," was all he said and Hope gestured towards the party, "Great. Now unless you have any other questions, I think we should go inside."

Hope led him into the Abattoir courtyard and found her other schoolmates already walking around, a shared look of awe and surprise she could see was etched across their faces.

Black and gold balloons and silk streamers had been placed aesthetically across the walls and pillars with some artful elements suspended in the air as well. There were small tables with centerpieces distributed across the floor and a live band playing soft jazz on a raised platform on one side. As soon as they stepped into the area, waiters approached them with snacks and drinks.

Lizzie's eyes were shining and her eyes were wide as she gripped Hope by the shoulders. "Hope, why did you not tell me you were a rich heiress who lived in a fancy mansion?"

"Err…"

"Never mind, I shouldn't be surprised since it's your Daddy who had made that very generous donation on which the school was built."

"Erm, yeah…"

"And this décor…I hate to admit this to you but it's blowing my mind!" Lizzie exclaimed, the smile still wide on her face.

"Well I'm glad to see that some of Hope's friends have good taste," Rebekah said, walking up and joining them.

"Lizzie this is my aunt Rebekah," Hope introduced, "and she's the one who's responsible for all this," she gestured at the themed décor around her.

"Oh my God, are you really the Original blonde bombshell?" Lizzie's face was so bright Hope wondered if she was starstruck. "And might I add I'm _obsessed_ with what you're wearing?"

Rebekah smiled widely back at her, nudging Hope. "I like this one." She then turned to address Lizzie, "Why don't you let me show you around and I can tell you all about keeping things classy; maybe we can even exchange some ideas?"

"Great!" Lizzie agreed excitedly and before Hope could say anything, the two blondes had walked away engaged in deep conversation, leaving her alone next to a bundle of black and gold balloons. "I'll be right here!" Hope muttered, taking a sip of the mocktail in her hand.

She looked around, taking in the party that was in full swing. She could see Marcel having an animated conversation with Kaleb and MG in a corner next to the student-friendly bar while at a table on another end she could see Keelin and Jed talking. Well, at least everyone else seemed to be having a good time.

"Are all Mikaelson birthdays this elaborate?" Josie came next to Hope with a drink of her own, "because this is pretty out there."

"Not really. I like to think of this as a culmination of the many uncelebrated birthdays that I missed," Hope replied, shrugging. Josie's expression turned apologetic.

"Oh I'm sorry Hope, I know your parents…I didn't mean…"

"It's fine Josie, really. Besides, it's not just my birthday we're celebrating tonight." Hope instantly pressed her lips together, realizing what she almost let slip.

"Really? What's the other occasion?" Josie inquired curiously, her eyes gleaming.

"Erm, guess you'll find out in time for cake," Hope said, flashing a forced smile at her.

"This is quite the birthday party, Nik. Sure you want to hijack it with the announcement of your return?"

Kol and Klaus were enjoying their drinks standing at the balcony overlooking the courtyard, Klaus away from the line of sight of those below.

"It's what Hope wants, Kol," Klaus shrugged, "and I think I owe it to her to be able to talk freely without keeping secrets from her friends."

"Yeah well in the process of playing the role of Daddy Dearest I hope you have thought about how you plan to deal with the consequences of the public knowing you're still alive."

"I roamed the earth for over a thousand years and we've always dealt with enemies; I'm pretty sure I can handle Take two."

"Brother dear, has it slipped your mind that you're human now? You do realize that you're not the most powerful creature on the planet anymore; in fact you're quite literally the exact opposite."

"My temporary humanity isn't going to be an obstacle when dealing with my enemies, I assure you," Klaus growled, starting to get annoyed with his brother, "Besides, Freya and I decided that it looks like Hope's blood is the way to go. I can always break free of the sire bond by shifting an appropriate number of times."

"Don't forget the part where you need to kill someone to activate your wolf gene. I wonder, is that something you're still comfortable with, what with your humanity and everything," Kol said with a sarcastic smile. He sipped on his drink, uncharacteristically quiet for a moment after that, "I hope you know what you're doing, Brother."

Klaus nodded at him, "I'll do what I have to, for Hope." They clinked their glasses together and continued to sip at their drinks.

"Dr. Saltzman…" Freya had spotted Alaric lurking in a corner, his eyes alert. "I didn't realize parents were invited to teenager's birthday parties." He chuckled at her.

"I wasn't. But as Principal of the school, I figured it would be incredibly irresponsible of me to send my kids into the lion's den without…appropriate supervision." He narrowed his eyes at her, "This is a Mikaelson home after all."

Freya shook her head, unconsciously placing her hand on her baby bump, "You know it's not the same anymore, things have changed."

"Well, with all experiences I've had with Mikaelsons over the years, pardon me for being a little paranoid," Alaric said, taking another swig of his drink. "In fact, I've got back up coming too, just in case."

Freya raised her eyebrows, staring at him, "What do you mean back up?"

"Caroline will be here soon."

Freya froze. "Wait, Caroline Forbes is coming here?"

"Yes, she hasn't been in New Orleans since…a while now but she's dropping by with her boyfriend. I'm sure you won't have a problem with a couple extra chaperones?" Alaric's stern expression indicated he was going to take the precautions irrespective of her opinion.

Freya scoffed, trying not to look as surprised.

"Can I have everyone's attention please?"

Hope was on the stage standing next to Rebekah who was getting someone to set up the birthday cake to be cut along with a couple of champagne glasses. "Can I have Uncle Kol & Aunt Freya join me up here please?" Hope added, trying to shake off her nerves by gripping tighter on to the microphone she was holding.

"Uh oh," Kol muttered under his breath, a naughty grin slowly growing on his face.

"What's wrong?" Klaus asked, looking at his brother, slightly alarmed.

"I just overheard something _very_ interesting between Freya and Alaric," Kol said, turning to face Klaus, "Looks like we have a surprise guest joining the party."

"What are you on about?" Klaus gritted his teeth, but Kol had flashed away with that to join Hope on stage.

"Damn it, Kol!" Klaus muttered, frustrated and helpless but to wait and see.

"I just want to thank everyone for being here," started Hope. "I may not show it much but you guys mean a lot to me…in some way or another."

Klaus stood behind the railing listening to his daughter speak, his mind still stuck on what Kol had said. Should he be expecting trouble? His senses went on high-alert and he took a quick look around to see if anything was out of place when his attention abruptly shifted towards the main gate as someone strode in.

His jaw dropped and eyes went wide.

All of a sudden it felt like the world had slowed down to a crawl.

Dressed in a bright white with a flowing overcoat that swished about with every step, Caroline Forbes walked into the Abattoir courtyard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DUN DUN DUNNN Thoughts please - happiness, sadness, frustration, relief...I'm all ears (or is it eyes? You get my point, right) Are you as excited as I am for the next one? ;)


	11. Revelation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Klaus gets his first glimpse at present day Caroline. He reveals the news of his return at Hope's birthday and the consequences unfold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a monster of a chapter to edit with so many layers and so much information it took me awhile (not to mention I was running a little low on sleep for a bit there). I worked especially hard on this one, enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: TVD ain't mine, none of it is! Except well, maybe the actual writing here.

Klaus snapped his gaping mouth shut, swallowing a couple of times as he drank her image in.

As he looked at her now, he idly noted how he had grown accustomed to seeing her dressed mostly in black and other dark tones over the years. It didn't really bother him in any way but it was something he had noticed her sticking to ever since Stefan's death, not that her widow-y color choices could ever take away from the light he always saw emanate from her.

However, the Caroline he saw before him was far from funereal in her strapless white top, navy and white striped ankle length pants topped with that flowing white overcoat.

She was different but yet the same, her essence still drawing him in like a drug.

Her hair was much shorter & straighter, cut to a length just shy of her slender shoulders. Her blonde waves still swayed about in the breeze just the way he remembered as she walked in wearing sunshine yellow strappy stilettos that wrapped itself around her smooth ankles in ways that made him want to reach out and run his fingers over them.

Oddly enough, his eyes shifted from her ankles to her prominent collar bone, one he remembered as being a particularly sensitive spot from the time he had let his lips gently trace along it to elicit the most beautiful sounds out of her.

But more than that he realized what actually shifted his attention there was the delicate chain around her neck, the accessory made more conspicuous to him by the absence of a certain ring that was usually looped on it.

 _She must have really been serious about moving on if she had finally taken that ring off after over a decade_.

Klaus suddenly felt a slight sense of dread in making his presence known fearing he might cause Caroline to stumble on her path towards moving forward in life by dredging up memories from the past she probably worked hard to get over.

Despite his worries, he found he couldn't take his eyes off her. He could have sworn her skin shone even though he was well aware it was probably just the glow from the fairy lights that had been hung up around the place. Nevertheless her face was lit up and her bright smile made his human heart feel like it had skipped a beat.

It was only when she laughed and waved at someone that he realized he had been holding his breath all this while. He choked out a gasp, chuckling as he thought about how the mere sight of Caroline had quite literally taken his breath away.

She was actually here. His lovely Caroline.

And she was as stunning as ever.

He was slightly taken aback at how easily all the feelings that he thought he had safely tucked away bubbled back to the surface. He wanted to blame it on his human emotions and his lack of control over them but wasn't sure if he could. As his mind slowly cleared out of his Caroline-induced haze it was only then that he actually noticed the person standing next to her.

The person with whom she had walked in.

The person she was currently holding hands with as they joined Alaric.

The person who dropped her a light kiss as they turned their attention to the stage.

Klaus had to bite back a sudden wave of jealousy as he reminded himself he had already made up his mind about letting Caroline move on with her life. Despite being unaccustomed to not getting his way, she was one of the few people in his life who he cared to be patient for. Caroline brought out those aspects of his humanity in him, back then even when he was simply the Original Hybrid everyone feared.

 _But she doesn't know you are alive_ , that small voice in his head spoke. _How do you even know she would still want to move on if you don't even give her the opportunity to take a chance on you like you wanted her to all those years ago_?

Klaus shut his eyes and took a deep breath. He needed his heart to stop racing and his mind to keep still. He decided instead to shift his focus back on his daughter, trying to be unaffected by the fact that he could see the mystery man now handing over a glass of champagne to Caroline in his peripheral vision.

Hope was now wrapping up her thank you speech and preparing to cut the cake.

It was almost time.

There was a round of applause as Hope cut a small slice of cake and fed it to Freya, Rebekah and Kol. Cutting another slice and keeping it aside on a plate, she lifted her champagne glass. "Before we all dig into some cake, I'd like to make a toast."

She stepped forward and took a good look at everyone before continuing, "I'd like to dedicate this birthday to my father," she started, noticing some of the people shift in their places. Hope couldn't help but throw a quick glance up to the balcony, knowing her father was listening. "To Klaus Mikaelson, without whom I wouldn't have lived to be sixteen in the first place. Cheers."

There was a murmur of 'cheers' in the crowd as they took a sip of their drinks. Just as everyone began to get back to their conversations, Hope cleared her throat and spoke up again.

"Speaking of my father," she hesitated, momentarily exchanging looks with the Mikaelson siblings standing behind her, "I'd like to take this opportunity to make an announcement. It's really important… and I thought you guys, the people I'm closest to, might want to hear it from me first." She caught Lizzie whispering something to Josie but chose to ignore it. "It might come as a shock but in time I hope everyone will accept the fact."

Hope's supernatural hearing allowed her to catch MG's whisper, "You know anything about this?" to Kaleb who she could see respond with a shrug. Squeezing her eyes shut for a second, Hope shook off all her distractions and gathered her wits to say what she had to say.

"The truth is that…" she took a deep breath, "…my father Niklaus Mikaelson…is alive."

There was a frigid stillness hanging in the air, interrupted only by the sound of breaking glass; someone had dropped their drink. Hope felt unsure about how to deal with the silence so she went on to explain, "Yes, he did sacrifice his life for me but by some magical miracle, he's come back to life."

As if on cue, everyone in the room began to chatter in confusion, following which Rebekah came up and stood next to Hope for support. "It's true," she confirmed, "my brother Nik is alive and well… and he's here."

Hope could hear the murmurs instantly rise to a cacophony of shocked and surprised sounds as her guests seemed to register what they had just told them. Alaric bound forward from the column he had been leaning against, his face tense with a mixture of anger and shock.

"That's impossible," he yelled at Rebekah on stage.

"On the contrary, mate."

Everyone's eyes turned towards the smooth voice that had rang out from the level above them to see the Original Hybrid himself in a white Henley and dark jeans, coolly leaning over the railing with a smirk on his face and a glass of wine in his hand. A few gasps pierced the silence and Klaus could see Alaric's face, completely astounded by his appearance. Unable to help himself, his eyes fleetingly shifted to Caroline, who looked even more shocked if that was possible. He could have sworn there was anger and hurt there as well but he didn't let his eyes linger long enough to confirm it.

Klaus casually walked down the stairs and joined Hope, not unaware of all the eyes that anxiously followed him to the stage. He put an arm around his daughter, now addressing everyone directly.

"All I wanted for today was to be able to celebrate my dear daughter's birthday with her. I get the sense that you all may be alarmed, but this doesn't have to become a whole _thing_." He accepted a bite of cake from Hope and ordered the band to continue playing while everyone looked on, stunned.

Rebekah, Kol and Freya got off the stage first to do damage control, followed by him and Hope. He began to make a beeline towards Caroline but stopped in his tracks when he spotted her.

She was on her knees picking up what looked like pieces of broken glass and looked completely flustered as she kept mumbling to herself. Her hands looked like they were bleeding from the shards and she didn't seem to care but her mystery man seemed to be trying to calm her down. She finally stood up, dropping the glass pieces she'd collected onto the table next to her and started talking to the man, shaking her head at him as he put his hands on her shoulders, trying to comfort her.

Klaus began to wish for his Hybrid hearing as he watched her continue to freak out – for lack of a better term – her face filled with shock. To his surprise her eyes suddenly flashed towards his, throwing him a look that was absolutely livid before she turned away and stormed out of the compound. He was about to follow her when Alaric came up in front of him, an outraged look on his face.

"What is the meaning of this, Klaus? How is this possible?" he hissed at him.

"Hey Dr. Saltzman," Hope came seemingly out of nowhere, anticipating this could turn into a very tense conversation, "I just – "

"Stay out of this Hope, you don't realize what you've done."

"Now what makes you think you can talk to my daughter that way, hmm?" Klaus growled at him.

"Hope knows I deeply care about her as well as the welfare of all my students so I'm doing this for everyone's benefit." Alaric felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Freya had now joined them.

"Alaric, you don't have to worry, everyone's safe here," she urged, trying to calm him down.

"Safe?" Alaric let out a wry laugh, "I'm taking all my students with me and heading out of this place right away because nowhere in the presence of Klaus Mikaelson will I consider it safe." He turned to the other students. "Kids, we are leaving, NOW!" he yelled at them.

His daughters and the rest of the students looked a little wary of his reaction but they slowly began to file out through the gate. Lizzie huffed in annoyance and followed Alaric while Josie gave a small wave at Hope as they walked out. MG smiled apologetically as he dragged Kaleb, who looked completely star-struck in the presence of the Original Hybrid, outside to join the others. Jed however approached Hope and Klaus, putting forward his hand.

"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Mikaelson," he said making bold eye contact with Klaus, even though the slight quiver in his hands gave away his nervousness.

"Dad, this is Jed, he's the Alpha of the werewolf pack at school," Hope explained.

Klaus gave an impressed grin and shook the young wolf's hand, "Nice to meet you, Jed."

"Jed, drop what you're doing and get in the car NOW!" came Alaric's voice from outside. Jed nodded at Klaus and Hope and stepped out.

And with that the party was over.

* * *

Caroline grazed her fingers through her hair as she paced frantically on the footpath outside the Abattoir while Alaric got the kids into his car. Josie was about to get in when she happened to notice Caroline in her panicked state of mind and jogged up to her, placing an arm on her shoulder.

"Mom we're heading back to the hotel," she said softly, "Are you okay?"

Caroline was shaking, her eyes wide in confusion, both aspects she instantly attempted to hide on seeing her daughter, "Err, yeah sweetie, I'll join you, I just need to clear my head."

"I think you should talk to him, Mom," said Josie. Caroline looked at her, surprised.

"What?" she breathed out.

"Mom, I know you guys were friends once. He died and came back to life; you can't just leave without meeting him at least."

"You okay, Care?" Caroline turned to see her boyfriend next to her with a glass in hand. "I got you some water. What's going on? And what's all this talk about a guy coming back to life? I figured it was just an inside joke but you seem pretty upset."

Caroline laughed wryly even as her eyes filled up. 'Upset' was hardly the word she would use to describe her situation right now. Angry, surprised, even hurt wouldn't begin to cover what she was feeling.

"I'm fine, Cory, I'll explain everything later" she said, blinking away her tears and taking a sip of the water he had gotten for her. She swallowed and turned to Josie.

"Sweetie, thank you for your concern but what I need from you right now is to get in the car with your Dad before he pops a vein. I'll be fine." Josie nodded and Caroline kissed her daughter on the forehead, watching her fondly as she walked back to the car. At the same time she saw Alaric shutting the car door and approaching her and Cory.

"Hey, could you excuse us for just a moment?" Alaric addressed Cory who nodded, stepping away to the side to give them privacy. He then turned to Caroline.

"I'm taking the kids back to the hotel. I'd ask you to join me but I don't think you will."

Caroline shook her head at him, exasperated, "I _need_ to talk to him."

Alaric looked at her sadly and sighed, taking a moment before he softly spoke, "Since you're the only person I'm pretty sure Klaus will _not_ kill, I agree…you should probably stay back and find out what's really happening here. I can take Cory back to the hotel with me where it's safer for him."

Caroline shook off the million questions buzzing through her head and thought about it; her very human boyfriend would probably be the worst thing to dangle in front of Klaus, even if he probably didn't feel the same way about her as he did before he died.

Despite everything that was going on at the moment, the thought of that stung her a little.

"Yeah, you're right," Caroline sighed and slowly turned away to cup Cory's face, looking straight into his eyes, "Don't worry, everything is fine here; I just need you to go back to the hotel room and I'll join you a little later, okay?"

Caroline gave him a light kiss and stepped back, worry etched on her face. She was rarely in favor of using compulsion but in this case she was convinced it was the only way to ensure Cory would be safe without the added complication of having to answer what was sure to be a barrage of questions following an explanation at this time.

She did plan to eventually tell him the truth about the supernatural world at some point – hell, the man had a right to know he was sleeping with a creature of the night, didn't he? She was constantly reminded of that pending conversation every time they hit a new milestone in their relationship and she just couldn't bring herself to do it. Every time she even came close, she was reminded of what had happened when Matt had found out and how his response being one that made her into a monster had hurt then. She was long over it; Matt had come a long way and she was more comfortable than ever in her own vampire skin but the experience had left her being more guarded when it came to opening up to another person.

But then again, she hadn't expected things to get serious with Cory either. When Elena had first introduced her to him, Caroline had already made up her mind that he was just going to be a distraction, someone she could hug at night, a shoulder to cry on, just another person. What she hadn't counted on was him being an actual nice and decent person and Caroline wasn't the kind of girl to just use someone for selfish purposes either.

But with these new developments, she feared she wouldn't be able to put it off any longer…she would have to be honest with him sooner rather than later. She watched Cory's face break into a smile as her compulsion took hold.

"Great, I'll see you there, babe," he smiled at her and gave her a quick kiss before joining the others in the car while Alaric continued to look at Caroline with concern.

"Are you okay, Caroline?" he asked, carefully.

"Honestly? No, I'm not. But I hope to get some answers soon."

"Yeah, me too. Just…be careful, okay?" Caroline could hear the worry in his voice.

"Relax. You said it yourself, Klaus won't kill me," she laughed awkwardly, trying to lighten up the mood, albeit unsuccessfully. Alaric huffed, a pained smile appearing on his face.

The two of them stood in silence for a moment before Alaric walked away to his car and drove off with the kids and Cory, leaving her on the sidewalk, alone with her thoughts.

* * *

"Well, that went better than I expected."

Kol was stretched out on a chair with his feet up on the bar counter and a drink in his hand, next to Hope who was lost in thought while people around them began to clean up after the party.

"Earth to Hope!" Kol nudged her. Hope was shaken out of her thoughts and stared blankly back at Kol.

"I was just saying how it could have been a lot worse, darling," he shrugged, taking another swig of his drink. "Don't worry so much."

"I'm not," Hope mumbled, "It's just…now that it's finally done with, I don't feel any different."

"What were you expecting, little one? That your dim-witted friends would finally realize you're the cool person that we know you are and clamor to become your BFF? If that's the case, you might need to do a revisit on your father's reputation and how it precedes him."

"I don't know what I was expecting. Relief? Happiness? I guess I thought that not having to keep a secret as big as this anymore was supposed to be more freeing."

"Touché," Kol raised his glass at Hope and continued to enjoy his drink as more of the furniture and décor began to get cleared around him. Hope could see her aunt Rebekah ordering people around and on catching Hope's eye, she walked up to her.

"Hope sweetie, I've got everything handled here. You should go to bed," Rebekah urged softly. Hope nodded and watched Klaus in the distance, having what looked like an intense conversation with Freya.

"You're right Aunt Bekah, I'm exhausted anyway," Hope agreed, taking off her heels one by one. As she stood up to walk to her room barefoot, Klaus came up to her with a box in his hand.

"Happy Birthday sweetheart," Klaus said, handing her gift over. Hope raised her eyebrows at him and he nodded at her watch. It was a minute past midnight, her actual birthday.

"Dad, you really didn't have to," Hope smiled, shaking her head and opened the box to reveal a pack of organic paint with colours made using real flowers. "Oh wow..." Hope ran her fingers over the box, "This is amazing."

"It reminded me of the time I used flowers and leaves to mix colours for my art centuries ago. Thought it might be something that might interest you."

"I love it, thank you Dad," Hope said, hugging him.

"I believe you were about to go to bed. You should do so; you've had a long day."

"Yeah, I was just heading to my room. Good night, Dad. And thank you…for everything."

"You're welcome, sweetheart. Now, go get some rest," Klaus smiled and watched as his daughter went up the stairs to her room. Rebekah came and stood next to him.

"What about our dear brother?" she asked, gesturing at Kol, who had nodded off on his chair, drink still miraculously in hand.

"I think he's quite comfortable where he is right now," Klaus said with a smug grin on his face. "He'll figure things out when he has to."

"Klaus," Freya called, joining them, "When do you want to do the transition?"

Klaus sighed. "Hope's gone to bed; we can take some of her blood tomorrow and see where we go from there." Freya nodded at him, absently rubbing her belly as Keelin came and stood next to her.

"I've also made arrangements for you to visit the Nola prison tomorrow, Klaus," Keelin added, "With my contacts at the prison's medical wing and a little compulsion from Rebekah we were able to secure a prisoner for you."

"Thank you…" Klaus told Keelin sincerely, "As someone who saves lives for a living, I understand how it goes against your values to be aiding in a person's death."

"Klaus, as a wolf myself, I know what it's like to kill someone and summon your werewolf side. Trust me, offing a child-abusing serial killer on death row to trigger your werewolf gene is the most favorable option for everyone." She narrowed her eyes at him and added, "That is, assuming you don't go back to your old self and start killing people anyway after you transition into a Hybrid."

Klaus could hear her apprehension and was aware she wasn't fully on board with the idea of him deciding to turn back into a Hybrid. However, she had decided to help and he figured there was no point in debating now so he simply nodded at her.

"Great, now that that's settled, I'm going to bed…my feet are killing me," Freya said and waved good-nights to her siblings before heading into her room with Keelin, leaving Klaus and Rebekah alone with a sleeping Kol. Rebekah gave Klaus a meaningful look.

"Are you alright, brother?" she asked, noting that Klaus had a distant expression on his face.

"Fine. Just relieved the day is over."

Rebekah was silent for a moment before she asked, "Did you speak to her?" Klaus, who had been staring at the floor, looked up at Rebekah on hearing her words.

"By her if you mean Caroline, I don't believe she was particularly happy to see me."

"That's rubbish and you know it."

"You didn't see her face."

"Well, you _did_ come back from the dead."

"She was angry…"

"Well I would be too if my supposed _friend_ chose not to tell me something as big as that to me himself!"

Klaus groaned in frustration, running his fingers through his hair. "My point is, she knows I'm back," he said quietly, "And if she wants to reach out to me now, she will. Or she won't, it doesn't matter."

"Of course it matters, Nik," Rebekah put a hand on Klaus shoulder, "I know it matters to you." Klaus was silent and simply shook his head.

"Good night sister," was all he said, kissing Rebekah on her cheek and going up to his room. Rebekah looked up at him sadly as she heard his door shut and went about continuing to get things cleared out of the compound.

* * *

It was almost an hour later when Marcel walked up to Rebekah after having sent away the last of the crew.

"And that's a wrap," he said, clasping his hands together. "I'll lock up the gate and we can go to bed."

"You know what sweetie, I'll shut the gate," said Rebekah suddenly having a thought, "Why don't you go on ahead draw me a bath? After a day of running around in my fabulous heels, organizing a fantastic party, I could really use one right now."

Marcel smiled at her. "Sure, as long as I get to join you," he said, giving her a soft kiss and making Rebekah smile.

"Go on then, I'll be right with you," she said, pushing him playfully and Marcel flashed off towards their room. Rebekah then walked to the gate and slid the latches across. Just as she turned to walk away, she got a strange sensation flooding through her body…like she was being watched.

She wasn't alone.

She turned back, only to see a certain blonde vampire standing outside the locked gate looking lost. Rebekah heaved a sigh of relief and walked up to her asking, "What are you doing here, Caroline? It's late."

"I need to see him."

* * *

Caroline wasn't sure what she was doing. After Alaric and the others had left she had spent some time wandering through the city trying to clear her head and figure out what to do next. All she knew for certain was that she needed to see Klaus face to face and hear the real story from him before jumping to any conclusions about his return. She even stopped by a place called Rousseau's to grab a drink or two in the hopes that it would give her the courage to do what she needed to.

It didn't. But she decided to do it anyway. And so here she was, standing outside the Mikaelson compound, asking to meet Klaus. The Original sister was looking at her like she had lost her mind.

"He's probably gone to sleep, Caroline, I don't –"

"I don't care," she said, for lack of a better response. Rebekah sighed.

"Come on in," she said resignedly, letting Caroline in and shutting the gate behind her again.

Rebekah gestured upstairs at Caroline, "You know where his room is, knock once and if he doesn't answer, just go right in; I don't really care. I'm going to go relax now. You know your way out. Or you can stay over; I honestly never really know what's going on with you two."

"There's nothing…I mean I just found out he's –"

"Genuinely not interested. Bye now!" she sang and disappeared into her room, leaving Caroline alone in the courtyard. She took a deep breath and slowly walked up the stairs towards Klaus' room.

His door was shut, just as Rebekah said it would be.

 _What am I even doing here_?

Caroline began questioning her actions now that she was actually going through with it. She raised her hand over the door and rapped her knuckles on it.

Nothing.

She knocked again.

Still no response.

 _Here goes nothing_.

She turned the knob, opening the door as gently as she could. She wasn't sure why she was taking all this effort to keep quiet – Klaus with his superior Hybrid senses probably already knew she was here as soon as she had arrived at the gate. Moreover, she somehow figured Klaus to be a light sleeper; not that she knew much about his sleeping patterns, she just assumed Originals didn't need as much sleep as anyone else.

 _Why was she justifying things to herself in her own mind_?

"Klaus?" she whispered. There was no reply and it was dark so she walked further into the room. She turned a corner to see his bed. It was empty, but the lamp on his bedside table was on, filling a corner of the room with dim light, which led her to look beyond to the balcony where…

She could make out his silhouette, standing still and staring out into the still bustling streets. She slowly walked closer until she could make out the features of his back, his white Henley standing out in the dimness of the room.

"Klaus." His name left her lips unintentionally as a husky whisper. She saw his back stiffen upon hearing her. Very slowly he turned around to face her, stepping out of the balcony and into the room.

The light from the bedside table fell on him and she saw his beautiful face etched with emotion, getting clearer as he stepped closer into her view. His eyes were wide in shock and confusion, brimming with tears on the verge of falling. He opened and closed his mouth like he wanted to speak but the words weren't coming out. After what felt like a really long moment of stunned silence, he blinked and finally spoke.

"C-Caroline…" he started. Her heart leapt on hearing her name roll off his tongue, instantly transporting her back in time. "Is that…is that really you?"

Caroline huffed out a laugh, her eyes filling up as well, "I could ask you the same question, Klaus."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! That was heavy one. Here's a little FYI:
> 
> \- I was totally listening to 'Hurts like Hell' by Fleurie while writing the opening scene where Klaus first sees Caroline.
> 
> \- Being someone who has band tees & jeans as a go-to wardrobe choice, I can safely say I'm not particularly known for my fashion skills. To make up for this I usually dress up my characters in stuff I've seen them or the actors playing them wear for better visualization (for example, Caroline's avatar in this chapter is from her look at Bloody Night Con 2019 - the one with that fun Klaroline panel)
> 
> \- Since I'm treating this as my version of TO Season 6, you may have noticed I like to cast my new characters as they come into the story. I've picked Matt Czuchry to play Cory in my head - again, easy visual because he's a doctor on 'The Resident' and generally very vanilla flavor kind of cute because that's what I'm going for with this character (basically an incredibly SAFE, no-drama choice for Caroline)
> 
> -Something I realized: AFAIK there's actually no mention anywhere in the TVDverse about whether werewolves actually need to activate their wolf genes before being able to turn into Hybrids. So I just chose that they should and rolled with it.
> 
> Ok, I'm done rambling. As always, I'd love to hear what you think! Reviews are truly special; simply knowing that others are tuned in to the story push me to keep writing :)


	12. Tremble for my Beloved

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Klaus finally meets Caroline and the floodgates of emotions open wide. Meanwhile, the birthday girl gets a surprise visitor in the middle of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My head had been close to exploding when I was editing this emotion-packed monster of a chapter. This was also around the time I thought I should probably be thinking about looking for a beta. This chapter left me so charged with Klaroline feels!
> 
> I want to thank everyone who's been sharing their lovely reviews & thoughts - I appreciate you! I'm always happy to see more Kudos' and Bookmarks coming for this story, thank you for joining me on this writing adventure and I hope you stick around till the end.
> 
> Okay, I'm going to shut up now since I somehow got the impression you guys have really been looking forward to this chapter. In the words of Klaus, 'have at it!'
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own the TVDverse. Seriously.

Klaus wondered if he was hallucinating. Had he really had that much to drink? No, this felt too real to be something he had made up in his head. Caroline was in the same clothes he had seen her in earlier at the party but then it was late; perhaps he had fallen asleep and was having the most beautiful dream because that was the only explanation for her being in his room at this very moment, looking at him with her curious, baby blues.

It was her breathy laugh that assured him she was real. As happy as he was to see her, he felt like he was glued to the spot where he was standing as she slowly came closer to him, her eyes filled with wonder.

There was no anger, he could sense that much. However he could make out the incredulity on her face with a hint of what he could only guess was…doubt.

She needed to know he was real.

Lost in his thoughts, he hadn't realized how much nearer she had come. She was now standing right in front of him, so close he could just reach out and touch her. But he continued to remain still, letting her take the lead.

He watched her eyebrows crinkle in concentration as she slowly raised her hands to the sides of his face without actually touching him. Being in such close proximity to her and not feeling her was driving him mad, his human body feeling like his nerve endings were on fire in anticipation.

Then slowly but surely, she brought her palms together to cup his face, the first touch making them both gasp. She gently thumbed his cheeks, her fingers sending sparks of pleasure on his skin as they grazed through his stubble. Instinctively he felt himself leaning into her touch and her face slowly broke out into a smile accompanied by a sob.

"Klaus…" she said, her voice barely a whisper, "You're really here." A stray tear cut across her smile as she spoke.

Klaus' breath slightly trembled as he found his voice. "And so are you, sweetheart," he said, a single tear falling down his face as well. And before he could say anything more, Caroline had her arms wrapped around his neck in a bone-crushing hug.

Taken aback by her unexpected gesture, it only took Klaus a moment before he had his arms wrapped around her in response. He shut his eyes breathing her in, his reverie only interrupted by the sound of her sniffle when he realized she was crying into his shoulder.

"Oh my God…" she choked out in between sobs, her voice slightly muffled by her face in his shirt as she tightened her hold on him. Klaus hugged back with the same fervor, silently savoring being engulfed in the scent of Caroline, his senses getting lost in a sea of her now short, blonde locks.

After what felt like too little time in her arms, she slowly began to draw back out of their embrace, too agonizingly slowly for it to be something she wanted to be doing, in Klaus' opinion. He couldn't bear breaking away from her, not so soon after he had finally gotten a chance to have her in his arms; but he silently mirrored her movement.

Next thing he knew, they were standing with their foreheads touching. His eyes closed of its own accord as he relished this moment and he could sense that her lips were close enough that they were sharing breaths. Klaus slowly opened his eyes to look at her, taking in her pretty eyelashes, the smattering of barely visible freckles across her nose, her pretty pink lips. She must have sensed his gaze because her eyes slowly fluttered opened just then, her innocent gaze captured by his.

When neither of them made a move, Klaus couldn't take it anymore. He gently leaned in halfway between their lips, hoping she would choose to close the gap. But somehow that seemed to snap her out of their trance, making Klaus instantly regret it.

"Klaus, I – we can't…" she fought weakly, "I'm with someone right now…"

"I don't care, Caroline," Klaus said bluntly. The words just fell out of his mouth, surprising even him. Usually one to practice graceful restraint when it came to things that he felt warranted them, his human side seemed to dominating by allowing his emotions to dictate his actions.

"I care," she said firmly, stepping out of their embrace and Klaus immediately felt a sense of loss without her touch along with some mild embarrassment at letting himself get carried away with his words. He began to apologize and she started talking at the same time.

"Forgive me, Caroline, I…"

"It wasn't your fault, I let it happen…"

"I shouldn't have assumed…"

"You gave me a choice to decline…"

The two of them stopped speaking at once and smiled at each other. Caroline sniffed and wiped another fallen tear, just staring at Klaus.

"How is this even possible?" she asked him, her voice almost demanding, which for an inexplicable reason had a smile tugging at the corner of Klaus' lips. Her bossy tone suggested that Caroline was slowly coming out of her shock and back to her normal lively self.

"Also," she added just as Klaus was about to respond to her question, "it's great to know where I stand on our friendship scale considering you thought _this_ was the right way for me to find out you had come back from the FREAKING dead!" She threw her arms up in exasperation and began to run her fingers through her now disheveled hair.

He could see she was annoyed with him but at the moment he could care less as her unconscious gesture almost instantly took him back to their time in the woods when _his_ fingers had been the ones possessively gripping her then longer curls, gently pulling her head back against the tree so he could pepper more kisses over a particularly sensitive spot on her soft neck.

Klaus pressed his lips into a thin line as he forced himself to snap out of the memory and come back to the present. She was looking at him hoping for answers, completely unaware of the trip her involuntary actions had sent him on. She shook her head and sighed.

"How am I even talking to you right now, Klaus?!" she uttered softly, her expression slowly changing from a bizarre mix of anger, joy and frustration to one of confusion and dismay.

"Don't worry love, I'll explain everything," Klaus said gently. He ran his palm across her shoulder in an attempt to calm her but she barely seemed to notice. She stepped back, letting his hand drop and started pacing the room as she proceeded to ramble, all the thoughts and questions that seemed to be running through her mind pouring out at once.

Klaus realized he might have been slightly hasty in judging her state of shock.

"You were _gone_ , Klaus. I said my goodbyes to you…"

"I know."

"When you died, I was _really_ sad, okay? But I told myself it was fine because you had _finally_ found peace in the most honorable manner possible." She abruptly stopped in the middle of her frantic pacing to look at him. "Would you believe I went so far as to _console_ myself saying that I wouldn't have to worry about feeling guilt over caring about you anymore?"

"You were free," Klaus said softly, his eyes sad.

"Yes! I mean, No!" she squeezed her eyes shut and groaned like she was trying to assemble her scrambled thoughts and put them into comprehensible words. She took a deep breath.

"The only thing your death did was make me come to terms with what I was _really_ feeling at the time," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Klaus' eyes shot up to meet hers, wondering what direction this conversation was taking. She sighed, a small smile lighting up her sad face.

"And no, it wasn't guilt, if that's what you're thinking…not by a long shot," Caroline hesitated for a moment and Klaus' eyes widened in anticipation of her next words. "It was a feeling of assurance that no matter what happens between us, we would be present for each other in some form. I know we never said it out loud in so many words but…Ugh! Klaus, we had all the time in the world then…and you were supposed to live _forever_!"

"I'm sorry, love," was all Klaus could think of saying to her.

"I guess after all these years, I really did take for granted that you would _actually_ chase me around for a couple more centuries," she said, laughing wryly and wiping another tear, "And that no matter how much I fought it and for how long I'd deny that part of me that cared for you I would…" Caroline swallowed as if to gather some courage, "…I would find my way to you one day…"

Klaus' jaw nearly dropped. Had Caroline just acknowledged that she had finally accepted her carefully concealed feelings for him and admitted that he was someone she could see herself being with eventually? At this point he honestly couldn't be sure if she was still reminiscing or if this was truly how she felt right now.

"...that you really would be my last love like you proclaimed _so_ confidently at my Graduation…"

Klaus was stunned speechless anyway so he figured he would remain silent and continue to let Caroline unload her frustration and blame onto him in the hopes that she was gaining some comfort out of it. In her current frazzled state, she looked like she needed it.

"And then you just went ahead and died, taking with you _all_ the things that I thought were supposed to happen. You were supposed to be someone I could count on as a constant in my far future after all my loved ones had lived out their lives and passed on." Caroline let out a sob and whispered almost accusingly, "You offered me your forever and then you DIED."

Klaus' heart was breaking as he watched her have her breakdown. "Sweetheart…you know very well I did it for Hope –"

"On the bright side, it's actually when all those eternity-based plans fell apart that I finally gave myself a chance to fully move on," she said bitterly, continuing like she hadn't heard him, "…on my birthday to be precise…" – Caroline narrowed her eyes at Klaus as she said this – "…you know, the anniversary of my almost-death for which you had to swoop in and be the hero when you were the reason it happened in the first place?" Klaus smirked at the memory, having had a different perspective of that night.

"I prefer to remember it as the day I got to give you a glimpse of genuine beauty that you should live for," he countered, knowing from the look on her face that she was also thinking of the diamond bracelet he had gifted her.

Klaus felt his heart race a little as he recalled that being the first time he had shared his blood with her and how intimate that moment truly was. He considered pointing that out as well but changed his mind when he realized she was scowling at him.

"The _point_ is, that day gave me the perfect opportunity to have a hard think and reorganize everything in my life. So I worked out this whole new plan with a more meaningful and practical arrangement of my priorities…" Klaus had to hold back a smirk as he listened to her carry on telling him about her process. He would never cease to be amused by Caroline's perpetual need to always map out everything in her life.

 _Plans…a future…things that I want_ …

"…then I cut down on my travel and started outsourcing student recruitment to trustworthy staff so I could have more time with my daughters," Caroline continued to list, counting on her fingers, "I figured out a way to manage most of my work _and_ Merge-related research with Alaric so I would have a better handle on things at school and at the same time be more accessible to our students. And since all this meant I was back to living in Mystic Falls again, I could make plans to meet up with my old friends too every now and then. I even started dating for the first time in…I don't even know how long!" Caroline exclaimed with a wry laugh, not noticing how Klaus' face had suddenly turned dark. "And just as I was _finally_ getting my life in order, you suddenly come back and throw a wrench in the works…"

"Well, I apologize that my coming back to life is such a burden for you," Klaus grated out suddenly, instantly regretting it. He knew Caroline was only venting but the mention of the other man in her life somehow seemed to loosen his grip on his resolve to hold back and let her bash him verbally. He looked at her apologetically as she went silent, his words having brought her unrelenting rant to a grinding halt.

"I honestly don't know what to say other than that I am truly sorry, Caroline," Klaus said genuinely. "This is precisely why I put off telling you. You appeared to be perfectly content with your life and I didn't want to play a part in disrupting that for you."

Caroline scoffed, looking up to blink away fresh tears that threatened to fall. She walked past Klaus and slowly sat down on the edge of his bed, the distressed look on her face indicating that the weight of the things she had piled on to him during her spiel was just hitting her. She put her head in her hands, taking a moment to calm down and settle her mind. "I am _so_ sorry, Klaus. I didn't mean to say those things…to blame you for what was beyond your control, I just…"

"I know, sweetheart."

She shook her head and continued to stare at the floor. "What even happened? And seriously, why didn't you tell me?"

"The truth is these past few months I've been trying to figure out how to tell –"

"Wait, what?" Caroline's face snapped up to look at his.

Klaus froze, knowing he had just admitted to something he had been dreading telling her about.

"Klaus…" Caroline gave him a heated look, "How long has it actually been since you got back?"

"Caroline, I need you to understand –"

"HOW long, Klaus?" she pushed. Klaus shook his head; he figured he might as well rip off the band-aid now.

"It's been three months," he confessed with a heavy sigh. Caroline pressed her lips tightly together and slowly stood up, a look of astonishment presenting itself in her features as she looked straight at him.

"So you've been back for _months_ and you tell me about this now? And like _this_?" Her voice was scarily calm as she spoke but Klaus could see her eyes burning with a fire, one of the many things he adored about her. He looked at her sheepishly and opened his mouth to explain only to be stopped by another barrage of her questions.

"Did it really not occur to you that I would want to know that you're alive?" Her eyes were angry but Klaus didn't miss the undertone of sadness in her voice. "I know friendship might have been an alien concept to you, Klaus, but the death of a friend doesn't mean we stop caring about that person. And based on the unique situation we are in I think it's safe to say that works both ways. Dying isn't an excuse to stop caring about your friends either."

"I care plenty, Caroline, of course I do. And you know I don't need to elucidate that I care about you," Klaus slightly tilted his head, his deep blue eyes boring into hers. "How I always have…"

The burn of his gaze made Caroline's breath catch. She cleared her throat and Klaus sighed.

"Love, you said it yourself, you were already moving on," he continued wearily. "So pardon me for wanting to let you continue to enjoy that life in blissful ignorance for as long as possible before the news of my return inevitably broke and upset that." Caroline frowned and briefly closed her eyes in thought.

"And how is this any better?" she questioned. "Seriously Klaus, I know your intentions may have been good but the thought that you felt I didn't need to know the truth made me feel the exact opposite of what you used to make me feel back then," she grumbled.

"And what exactly did you feel back then, mmm?" Klaus challenged, narrowing his eyes at her. Caroline glared at him and didn't respond.

"All I'm asking, Caroline, is that you move past this. You do realize you have forgiven me for much worse." He reached out to put his arms on her shoulders and get her to sit but she angrily shoved him away.

Her vampire strength was fairly remarkable but nowhere close to the power of an Original Hybrid, so Caroline was slightly taken aback when she saw Klaus fall back and hit his chin against the table on the side of the bed. After a fleeting moment of surprise, she rolled her eyes.

"What, holding back on your strength with me, letting me vent my anger on you, is this how you plan to get on my good side?" she fumed, crossing her arms. She ignored the tiny part of her that wanted to help him up, seeing as he was still on the floor but she knew it didn't matter because he wasn't really hurt and would instantly heal.

Klaus slowly stood up, stumbling slightly as he regained his balance. "That's going to be a little tough sweetheart", he said, wincing in pain. Caroline narrowed her eyes at him, observing his movements suspiciously.

"Don't play weak with me Klaus, you just –"

Her tirade was interrupted but the sudden prickle in her mouth from her fangs wanting to drop. She could feel the nerves erupting beneath her eyes too. "Wha - ?" Confused, she brought her hands to her face and watched Klaus as blood dripped from the side of his mouth and he gingerly wiped it off. And there was no mistaking the scent.

It was human blood. From Klaus' mouth.

She immediately tuned her hearing more sharply to hone in on the dull thumping she'd been hearing all this while and purposefully ignored under the assumption that it belonged to Freya, Hope or any other person in the house with a functioning heart.

Except the faint sound of a heartbeat which was now booming in her ears happened to belong to the last person she could ever imagine.

Klaus Mikaelson, the Big Bad Wolf was _human_.

Realization, confusion and shock hit her all at once.

"Oh my god…" Caroline yelped, her voice panicked, "Oh my god, oh my god, oh my GOD, Klaus!" Caroline rushed to him and grabbed hold of his face, running her fingers across to make sure nothing was broken. "Are you okay? I'm so, SO sorry!"

"It's quite alright", Klaus gave a slightly pained smile and covered her hands with his, slowly pulling them away from his face, all the while making sure she didn't break eye contact with him.

Caroline returned his gaze as she slowly began to calm down, only barely noticing that Klaus still had her hands clasped in his. She realized she didn't mind, it only served to soothe her more when he began to slowly run his warm thumbs over her knuckles. Caroline took a deep breath.

"Clearly I have a lot to catch up on," she started, "…even more than I thought I did."

Klaus simply nodded, choosing not to say anything. Caroline noticed his cut bleeding some more and took a bite into her wrist, offering it to him. "At least drink this, you'll heal."

"I'm fine," Klaus said gruffly, turning away from her.

Caroline scoffed. "What, the used-to-be Original Hybrid is too cool to heal himself with the blood of a baby vampire?" Klaus simply stared at her and Caroline shook her head, wiping the spilt blood from her already-healed wrist with her thumb. "Fine, but don't think for one second that you can use this to make me any less mad at you for keeping things from me this long."

"I wouldn't dare," he drawled, his cut lips curling as he watched her roll her eyes in response. When he didn't say anything further, Caroline huffed and stepped away, scanning his room and the adjoining bathroom till she found a napkin and some antiseptic. The fact that he even had these things lying around in his bathroom only made the fact that Klaus was human more real to her. She guided Klaus to sit on his bed while she sat next to him and took some of the antiseptic on the cloth.

"Oh, Klaus…" Caroline whispered and shook her head as she dabbed at his chin and mouth. She gently wiped away the blood stains, trying her best not to get distracted by his full pink lips and the memories of them on her own lips, her neck, her chest...

She shook the reminder off when she realized a moment later that her visit to memory lane had caused her hands to pause what they were doing. And based on the strange look Klaus had on his face, he had noticed this. She blushed furiously as if she had been caught red-handed and immediately got back to cleaning the wound, trying her best to ignore what felt like an all-knowing smirk that Klaus was trying to hold back so as to let her work uninterrupted.

Feeling satisfied with her clean-up job and honestly just wanting to step away from the temptation that came from being so close to him, she stood up and walked away to discard the cloth and return the antiseptic to its place. She came back and stood in front of him, her eyes filled with worry. Klaus was now sitting up on the bed with his legs stretched out as he looked up at her.

"I'm guessing you're interested in hearing my story now?" he asked innocently, with a slight pout on his lips. Caroline rolled her eyes, trying not to let how adorable he looked doing that affect her.

"Fine, Klaus! I'm over the fact that didn't tell me you're back from the dead for three freaking months," she said with a plastered smile. "Your story is actually all I came here for!" Klaus frowned slightly.

"Is that really the only reason you came here, love?"

Caroline scowled at him. "I'm not talking about this with you right now."

Klaus pressed his lips and nodded in understanding. "Very well, then. At least take a seat so I won't be under the impression that you'll run away the first chance you get."

"I'm not going to – ugh!" Caroline huffed at him. "Fine," she muttered, walking over to the other side of the bed and sitting down right next to him, her back comfortably leaning against the headboard.

Klaus relaxed his body against the headboard as well, not taking his eyes off her. "Well, this is more like it," he said, his smirk getting more prominent as he saw how much Caroline was fighting back in order to resist agreeing with him.

"Just…just tell me how this happened."

Klaus smiled at her, the hint of a dimple making Caroline glad that Klaus' human version wouldn't notice that her dead heart just skipped a beat.

"Very well, then," Klaus began.

* * *

 _Tap tap_.

Hope's eyes snapped open on hearing the noise. She wasn't in a great mood, considering she had a lot on her mind after a long day and was just on the verge of falling asleep. She sat up in her bed ready to find out the source of the noise when she heard it again. Her head immediately turned to the window and she nearly jumped upon seeing a figure standing out in her balcony. Squinting, she slowly walked up to the French door, her expression turning to mild surprise when she recognized who it was.

"Jake?" He nodded and she shook her head in confusion, "What are you doing here?"

He wordlessly shrugged – something Hope was learning is very typical of him – and nodded his head towards a box in his hand.

A gift-wrapped box.

 _Did her personal chauffeur just pop by her balcony to give her a birthday gift in the middle of the night_?

She unlocked the latch and let him in. Without further preamble he gently placed the box into her hands.

"Happy Birthday, Hope," he said so softly that even Hope had to strain to listen.

"Why are you whispering?"

Jake whirled his finger around the room, looking up. "I imagine it would be hard to sneak into the Mikaelson princess' room in the middle of the night unnoticed in a house packed with Originals," he continued to whisper.

Hope huffed out a laugh, "Oh come on, I'm a witch. And a teenager. You don't think I'd have spells in place so that I can obtain some semblance of privacy in a house full of people blessed with supernatural hearing?"

Jake stared at her for a moment and then burst out laughing. Hope couldn't resist her face breaking out into a wide smile as well; this was the first time she was seeing him relaxed in laughter.

He really did have nice laugh, she idly thought and that's when she remembered.

She was supposed to be mad at him since he didn't even come for her party. She looked at him questioningly and crossed her arms across her chest.

"Aren't you a little _too_ late for my birthday bash?" she sneered at him.

Jake's laughter watered down to a cheeky smile, "Themed Sweet Sixteens aren't exactly my scene." Hope glared at him and he continued, "Besides, isn't today your actual birthday? If anything I'm the only one on time."

Hope couldn't argue with that, she was actually surprised that he even knew about that. She looked down at the box in her hands. The wrapping had prints of tiny wolves across it – a little too literal for Hope's taste but she supposed it's the thought that matters – and the string tying it together had a dream catcher at the end of it. She ran her fingers over it, it was beautiful.

She looked up from the box towards Jake. "Thanks," was all she said before she placed the box on her bedside table and came back to stand in front of him. "So…" she started, awkwardly rubbing her hands together, "You want to hang out for a bit?" Hope asked before she could stop herself.

"Oh. Err, sure…if that's what the birthday girl wants." Jake seemed a little awkward himself at this point, as if he was only realizing he had just snuck into a girl's bedroom after midnight…a girl whose father was not really known for his kindness and forgiving attitude.

He considered that and decided to take back his words straightaway.

"You know what, I should head. It's probably weird me being here…"

"What? No! I _need_ to tell someone about what a fabulous disaster today was…just let me get it out of my system and then you are free to leave," Hope said, waving her hand in finality. Jake raised his eyebrows, his dark eyes shining curiously.

"Sure…your Majesty," he joked. Hope narrowed her eyes at him and watched as he stepped away from the door. He then went ahead and seated himself on the chair at her desk while Hope sat in the middle of her bed cross-legged.

Hope spent a better part of the next hour opening up about her day and the way she had felt when she saw how everyone had reacted to the news of her father being alive. "I don't know what I was expecting, it's not like I didn't know it wasn't going to be all happy smiles and celebrations," she rambled on.

Jake could see how she was so affected by the way her day ended up turning out; he almost considered mentioning how he had spotted her school's Headmistress outside her house a short while ago just to take her mind off it. He had happened to catch a glimpse of the blonde woman standing at the entrance gate and talking to Hope's aunt Rebekah while he was in the process of checking if the coast was clear to sneak in and visit Hope. However his instincts told him there was something personal going on and he thought better of sharing this with Hope.

"So, what do you think?" Hope's voice cut across his thoughts. Jake just looked at her and shook his head sheepishly, hoping he hadn't missed out too much on what she said. It really wasn't a good idea for him to be hanging around here too long, especially at this time of night.

"I'm sure everything will be alright in the morning, Hope. Get some sleep," he said briefly and stood, walking back to the door. Stepping out and putting one foot on the ledge, he looked back at her.

"Happy birthday," he said softly with a bright smile and leaped off the balcony into the night. Hope frowned, wondering what had prompted his abrupt and hurried exit. _Such a weirdo_ , she thought with a light laugh as she snapped her fingers to lock the doors once more.

With that she turned off her bed-side lamp and snuggled back into bed, hoping sleep would find her quicker this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apparently my cliffhangers have been stressing some people out so I thought I'd give you guys a well deserved break on that front.
> 
> FYI, the next chapter is called 'The Morning After' soooooooo :P
> 
> Okay I'm sorry for dropping that bomb, PLEASE review!
> 
> P.S. Thought you guys should know I'm an immersive weirdo who likes to play TVD/TO scores in the background in order to really get into the zone while writing. For this chapter, I was listening to 'Elena lives, John dies' from the TVD score by Michael Suby (it's on YouTube and SoundCloud if anyone's interested)
> 
> See you tomorrow with the next one! 'I SHALL REVIEW' say it with me!


	13. The Morning After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caroline wakes up in a bed that is definitely not the hotel bed. Klaus begins his process of turning into a Hybrid and contemplates the decision to do so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to say thank you again for the love I've gotten from everyone. I love talking to you guys about the story and I'm glad my OC Jake has received a good response as well. The dynamics and details in the story are getting more intense as the story advances so lately I'm ending up posting hours later than I used to. Apologies...I hope the chapters make up for it!
> 
> Disclaimer: TVD and the TVD-verse, it wasn't me. This is all in my head.

Caroline's eyes remained shut even as her body began to wake up. She was immediately aware that she wasn't in her room. Or in her own bed for that matter. Despite that she oddly felt very comfortable at the moment, wherever she was.

If this was a dream she was happy to float about in it just a little while longer. A part of her wanted to revel in the comfort of her reverie, if only just for a moment's peace before having to face reality.

Her daughters. Their impending Merge.

Her tough luck in finding a way to save them.

Klaus coming back to life.

Wait, Klaus?

Her eyes immediately snapped open, her jaw nearly dropping when she realized she had her arm wrapped around…

Klaus.

They were at a respectable distance but he had his hand loosely placed on her waist as well. Her sudden comprehension of their somewhat compromising position made her skin burn from the point where Klaus' fingers touched her. Goose bumps erupted along her very bare arm and that brought to her attention another question.

Wasn't she wearing a jacket when she got here?

She shot a quick glance around the room and spotted the white coat lying draped across a chair next to the bed. She must have taken it off at some point in the night. She slowly sank back into the pillow and played back last night's events in her head.

She remembered she and Klaus had stayed up pretty late as he told her his story and she had raptly listened until she began to notice him struggling to fight off sleep. He was human now after all; at the end of a long day it was only natural for him to be exhausted.

Despite Caroline repeatedly insisting that he go to bed and that she would come back later to hear the rest, he was adamant. Every single time she tried to leave, he denied that he was tired and carried on.

It was almost as if…

He didn't want her to go.

Eventually, exhaustion had worn them both down and the bed's headboard was abandoned for a more comfortable setting with their heads on their respective pillows, curled up and facing each other. Though, for the life of her, Caroline couldn't figure out at what point they had gotten so comfortable as to end up where she was now…in a loose embrace with a sleeping Klaus next to her.

Her first instinct was to leap off the bed and flash back to the hotel before Klaus even had a chance to realize she was gone. Thoughts of her boyfriend Cory burst into her mind; he must be so worried.

Moving very slowly, she removed Klaus' arm and freed herself, once again secretly glad that he didn't have his super Hybrid senses, if only to alert him to her movement. She grabbed her phone off the bed-side table and observed the screen cluttered with notifications of multiple missed calls and texts from Cory and Alaric, even a couple from Josie.

She closed her eyes and huffed in irritation that she had let herself relax for a moment; her girls must be so worried. She wondered if they had left for Mystic Falls yet.

She carefully sat up and lightly attempted to tame her tousled hair, ready to make her getaway. She was just about to get off the bed when her curious gaze wandered to her side and she caught herself stealing a glance at Klaus' sleeping visage.

The sight of him like this was something rare, she realized. Seeing his face completely relaxed, free from the evidence of stress from scheming, plotting and whatever else usually occupied his mind, was actually quite lovely.

He really was a beautiful man, she thought to herself. Some of the rays of the morning sun crept through the window and lit up the ends of his mussed curls in such a magical way she was almost tempted to reach out and run her fingers through them just to know how they felt. His plump, pink lips were slightly upturned and on the verge of forming a dimple on his cheek, like he was enjoying a pleasant dream. Even the barely healed cut from the previous night did nothing to take away from the beauty of his sleeping smile.

She listened to the beating of his human heart – slow, steady and completely relaxed.

He looked so peaceful. And she found herself getting more happiness out of it than she ought to.

"I hope you realize how rude it is to stare at someone while they sleep," Klaus' voice broke her trance and she yelped, throwing her feet off the bed and standing. He began to rub the sleep out of his eyes as he watched Caroline rush to the chair and grab her jacket, pulling it on hurriedly.

"Where are you going?" he asked groggily, running his hands through his dirty blonde curls. Caroline blinked at him trying not to get distracted by his 'bed head'. She was just about to answer him when she heard someone outside the room.

"Nik, are you up yet?" Rebekah's voice came from the other side of Klaus' door and before Caroline could make a run for it, the Original sister had walked in on them, her face immediately turning into a mixture of annoyance and disgust as she saw her and Klaus.

"Caroline. Forgot you were here," she muttered, "For my brother's sake I hope you both managed to finally get a good release after a few decades worth of sexual tension. God knows it was stifling to be in a room with you two constantly making eyes at each other."

Caroline snorted. "Okay, first of all, there was never any…making eyes and…whatever else…and secondly, as cliché as it sounds, this is definitely _not_ what it looks like…" She gestured between herself and Klaus.

Rebekah rolled her eyes, shrugging "I'll never understand you two." She turned to Klaus, "You need to get ready to head to the prison in an hour for your…you know, pre-meditated murder."

"I'm sorry, what?!" Caroline's voice shot at Rebekah and she turned to Klaus for an explanation. "What is she…oh my god, is this about you becoming a Hybrid again?"

Klaus smiled at her; he really did love that Caroline wasn't just a pretty face. "I guess we never got to _that_ part last night…" he trailed off with a strange look in his eyes that Caroline could have sworn was intended to add innuendo in his words. "We're starting the process today."

It sounded so clinical to her. Caroline's eyebrows furrowed in confusion and he elaborated.

"As you obviously know I need to make a kill in order to activate my wolf side first. This seemed to be the most controlled situation that it could be accomplished in."

Caroline was quiet. Klaus watched her response carefully.

"Huh." Caroline said and nodded. "That…actually makes sense," she said, tilting her head and almost looking…impressed.

Just as Klaus was about to comment on the fact that Caroline finally agreed with him on something, her agreeable expression was suddenly replaced with that of reproach.

"Hold on, what happens after that? You use Hope's blood to transition into a complete Hybrid?" Klaus raised his eyebrows and shrugged at her in agreement. Caroline scoffed, giving him a look of disappointment.

"Klaus, this is incredibly irresponsible. Not to mention we have _no_ idea what will happen if –"

"Shut it, Forbes," Rebekah interrupted lazily. "Our family had this debate long ago and the decision's already been made. It's only about following through now." She flashed her a bored smile.

"Wha – " Caroline started at Rebekah and turned back to Klaus who was now sitting up in his bed, his woke-up-like-this vibe distracting her again.

 _For goodness' sake…get a grip, Caroline_. She took a deep breath.

"Klaus, I hope you understand what this entails," she started and watched as Klaus rubbed his neck, part of his open collar stretching to reveal just the tip of his 'birds of a feather' tattoo on his shoulder. "Hope is just a teenager and you are going to be sired to her. How is that even supposed to work?"

"We're figuring it out. Worst case I can always take a page out of your puppy ex-boyfriend's book to wriggle my way out of that one," he said with a stiff smile. Caroline frowned and looked at Klaus thoughtfully.

"Fine. But let me help." A small smile appeared on Klaus' face and Caroline immediately clarified, "I'd like to make it perfectly clear that this is _strictly_ because Hope is a student at my school and I don't want any of this drama spilling over and affecting my other students."

"How many times do I have to tell you that we don't _need_ your help," Rebekah snapped at her. "This is family business. No need for baby vampires to butt in with their sunny opinions."

"Rebekah…" Klaus growled at her.

"Well, I'm sorry Rebekah but between the three of us, who exactly has more experience dealing with teenage girls and their problems?" Rebekah glared at her and Caroline finished, "Yeah, I thought as much."

"Caroline…"

"WHAT, Klaus!" Caroline snapped at him, "I may not be a thousand years old like you and your sister but I have specific expertise with which I will be able to help you out and that is exactly what I want to do."

Caroline –"

"Why can't you Originals just drop your damn pride and let others lend a hand..."

"Caroline!" Klaus had gotten off the bed and rushed over to her. He gently put his arms on her shoulders and she let out a deep breath, her cheeks still flushed from her rant.

"As much I appreciate your offer to help, love," Klaus told her in a calming voice, "I honestly don't see the need for you to burden yourself with this. And Hope will be fine. She's smart and she's strong; you said it yourself."

Caroline looked back at him, unable to come up with a fault in his argument.

 _He's right_ , she thought wistfully. It wasn't practical for her to stick around and she had to head back to Mystic Falls anyway. Back to her family. Back to her boyfriend who she was _very_ happy with.

Back to her life.

There was already a lot on her plate with the school and the whole deal with her daughters' impending Merge. She had simply let herself get caught up in the whirlwind of Klaus' return that made her believe she could take on this as well.

She slowly nodded at Klaus in agreement and her eyes drifted to the floor, not wanting her face to betray that tiny part of her that was slightly dismayed by his seeming eagerness to send her away.

"Well, my work here is done," Rebekah said with a stiff smile and turned to Klaus, "See you downstairs in a bit, Nik." She flashed out of the room, leaving Caroline and Klaus alone again.

The two of them had been alone all night but Rebekah's exit strangely left them with a tension hanging in the air. It was as if her being here had indeed cemented the reality that they had spent the night together, albeit in a non-romantic capacity. Caroline cleared her throat, breaking the momentary silence.

"Guess I'll be going then," she said, slight awkwardness creeping into her voice. She grabbed her things and had already begun to walk past Klaus to his door when he grabbed her arm.

"Caroline, wait," he started, stopping her in her tracks. She turned around and before she could protest, he reeled her closer to him, holding her in place with his other hand.

Her dead heart began to race furiously and once more, she was glad he was human and couldn't hear it. Although the way it was pounding she could have sworn it felt loud enough even for human ears to pick up on. They were standing so close that Caroline could see flickers of sea green lining the rim of his ocean blue eyes.

Weren't they in this situation just last night? How did they get out of that; she couldn't seem to remember.

Before her thoughts could take on more tangential directions, Klaus came closer still – she didn't think this was possible – and leaned in.

He wrapped her in a warm embrace. Caroline let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding.

"Thank you," he said softly. It took Caroline a second to find her voice and respond to him.

"For what?" she croaked out.

"For being here with me. For offering to help me…and Hope." Caroline could feel his breath in her short hair as he fiddled with the ends of her blonde locks. She felt her own arms rise to wrap themselves around his neck in response and the ends of her fingers instinctively brushed across his curls at the nape of his neck. A small shiver ran through Klaus' body that Caroline could sense due to their close proximity and that served as a wake-up call. They slowly drew back from the hug and this time it was Caroline who was left feeling a sense of loss.

"Yeah…" she said, a warm smile spreading across her face. "I should go…"

She had made it all the way to the door before Klaus' voice caused her to halt once more.

"When will I see you again, love?"

Caroline had a twinkle in her eyes when she looked back at him. "Guess I'll see you at the next Parent-Teacher conference, hopefully for real this time." She laughed brightly and stepped out, shutting the door behind her. A smile spread wide across Klaus' face and he wondered if her laugh wasn't in fact the most beautiful sound he had heard lately.

* * *

Caroline managed to slip out of the Mikaelson compound without bumping into anyone else; it was mostly Hope she was worried about running into. She didn't want to have to explain her presence there when she wasn't ready with answers herself.

She got into her car – which had been left behind for her since Cory had gone back with Alaric – and she started to drive to the hotel where everyone was staying, which was when the tiny wave of panic hit her.

Evidently, leaving Klaus' orbit was what she needed to burst out of her bubble and get jolted back to reality.

She hadn't returned anyone's messages or calls. She hadn't even checked with her daughters to see if they were okay or if they had left for Mystic Falls already.

 _It's okay, Caroline_ , she told herself. The kids were with Alaric so they would be fine.

As for Cory… _Oh no_ , what was she going to say to Cory?

It was safe to say their relationship was pretty solid – well, as solid as it could be without the shared knowledge about one of them being a supernatural creature – but she didn't know if they had quite reached the point where he trusted her enough to believe there was reasonable explanation for having spent all night with a man whom she had never spoken of to him before this?

Cory didn't know about her… _history_ with Klaus; probably because that involved her telling him the truth about the supernatural side of things. Maybe it was time to have 'the talk' with him and this was her chance.

As for Alaric, she was convinced she was going to get an earful from him. And she didn't even want to think about the questions her kids might have…or worse, Hope.

Luckily, Caroline wasn't one to back down from a challenge.

* * *

"So…that went well," Keelin spoke, trying to break the ice in the very quiet car. She was driving Klaus and Rebekah back home from the New Orleans prison.

"Thanks to you," Rebekah's voice chirped in from the back seat. "I can't think of anyone else who could have made this happen for us." Keelin nodded, knowing this was as far as she was going to get in terms of gratitude from the Original sister.

Rebekah sat forward, turning to Klaus who had been silent in the passenger seat all this while. "And my brother Nik agrees with me, doesn't he?" She prompted, only receiving a grunt from him in response. She raised her eyebrows. "What's wrong with you?"

"I can already feel the changes in my body," Klaus said quietly, continuing to stare out the window.

"Then why do you sound like someone tried to take away your daggers?" Rebekah teased lightly, Klaus' muted response worrying her. "Nik, are you alright?" she asked. When Klaus didn't turn away from the window she put her hand on his shoulder, "You're doing the right thing, Nik. I hope you know that."

"I know."

"We decided this was the best way to get your strength back and keep everyone around you safe, like you're always worrying about. This is how you'll be strong enough for Hope, even with the cost that comes with it."

"Yes, Rebekah, I realize I'll have to resort to turning not just during the full moon but multiple times every single night in order to break the sire bond with Hope once I drink her blood." Rebekah frowned at him, understanding what this was about.

"It's okay to be scared…"

"I assure you I am NOT afraid," Klaus retorted, turning to face her with a glare that immediately simmered down to a frustrated huff. "I just…I have only ever turned twice before this so this is all new to me. As a thousand year old creature, I'm not exactly used to the idea of 'new' things. I don't even know what to expect, how much danger I may be putting you all in…" He let his voice trail off as he got lost in thought.

"As soon as we get back, we'll place you in a secure environment," Keelin assured him. "Freya is setting up the room in the basement as we speak so you can turn safely."

"You'll be surrounded by your family, Nik," Rebekah added. "Let us take care of you for once."

"You have been taking care of me all these months. I don't particularly enjoy being a person who needs to be babysat," Klaus grumbled.

"Well, if things go as planned, you won't have to worry about that anymore." Rebekah frowned. "What's _really_ bothering you, Nik?"

"What's bothering me is that my meddlesome sister won't stop talking and leave me be for two minutes," Klaus snapped at her suddenly. Rebekah rolled her eyes and sat back in her seat.

"There's the short-tempered werewolf brother we know and love," she muttered. "You're right. I can already see the changes from the trigger." Klaus didn't react and no one spoke for the rest of the drive.

It wasn't too long before they got back to the Abattoir. Freya met them at the gate with the vial of Hope's blood in her hand and stepped forward to meet Klaus but he just swiped it off her and went up to his room without a word. She looked at the others for an explanation but Rebekah shook her head.

"He's in a mood," she told her. "At least his mood swings aren't on the bloodier, more violent side like they used to be," she added, shrugging.

"We werewolves tend to be a little antsy around the time of the full moon and there's one tonight," Keelin pointed out. "Moreover he just triggered his curse. The first turn is usually the most painful and could last hours. Maybe that's something that's on his mind too." Rebekah sighed.

* * *

Klaus shut the door behind him and leaned against it. He took out the vial he had dropped into his jacket pocket and held it between his fingers, swirling the dark liquid around.

It had been decided that Rebekah would be the one to snap his neck once he ingested the first dose of Hope's blood – "I think I might even enjoy it," she had ribbed him – and then he would take the second dose to fully transition into a Hybrid. He would then retire to the basement room every night to turn the required number of times till he was free of his sire bond with Hope.

The plan was clear and simple enough; which is why was he couldn't explain why he felt uneasy about the whole thing at this point in the process.

It was probably his mistrust of Mary-Alice's words that made him question what he was about to do. She had said that as long as he was in the land of the living, the Hollow wouldn't be able to come back. He wasn't a vampire and a Hybrid is part wolf so technically a living creature, isn't it?

He missed Elijah in times like these – when he needed someone to talk to during his times of doubt, when he needed someone to bounce his ideas off of, someone who would respond with the rationality that he wanted to hear for affirmation.

He glanced at his phone. There was text he had received earlier that he hadn't bothered to look at. He opened it up.

It was from Caroline. 'Hope everything went ok' was all it said. He started replying to her when his actions were interrupted by a knock on his door. 'Dad?' he heard Hope's voice on the other side, "Are you okay in there?"

Klaus put the vial and his phone to the side. "Come in, sweetheart."

He watched as his daughter peeped out from behind the door, smiled at him and walked in, shutting the door behind her. "What's wrong, Dad?" she asked gently, taking a seat next to him on the bed. Klaus sighed.

"Nothing really," he said, almost sounding frustrated. "Normally, I would have well been on my way to transitioning into a Hybrid by now," he said, gesturing to the vial of blood on the table, "But my humanity appears to be making me question everything I do, even things that I'm convinced of."

"Nothing wrong with a little self-doubt every now and then," Hope said smiling, gaining a chuckle out of him in return. "Just be glad you have such an understanding daughter who won't take advantage of the fact that her Dad is going to be sired to her." Upon hearing this, Klaus burst into laughter.

"Not for long, love," he said, teasing her and Hope laughed with him as well. The light moment between father and daughter was broken up by the sound of Hope's phone ringing. She paused to look at it and turned to Klaus, "It's Alaric. I actually need to go back to the school with the rest of the students."

Klaus nodded. "As you should."

"Will you be okay with your transition? I can ask for special permission to stay back or –"

"That's sweet of you, love. But I'll be perfectly fine in the hands of your overbearing aunts." Hope's phone was still ringing. "You should answer the call." Hope stood up from the bed and picked up.

'Yes, Dr. Saltzman?" Klaus didn't need supernatural hearing to guess what the conversation was about. In less than a minute, she hung up and turned to him.

"They're heading back to Mystic Falls in half an hour. I need to meet them at the hotel so we can travel back together…"

"Go on then, sweetheart. The next time I see you I'll be at the mercy of your every whim. Although I can't say that I'm not already," he smirked at Hope, who rolled her eyes at him.

"I'll see you next weekend, Dad," Hope walked to Klaus, kissed his forehead and hugged him before rushing out of the room.

In a few hours she would be back in the Salvatore Boarding School surrounded by her friends, who he hoped were considerate with her after yesterday's events. At least he knew she would be safe. Despite the differences between him and Alaric, he trusted the man with his daughter's life.

Honestly, he was glad that Hope would be away at the school and not be around to witness his transition; as sacred as he considered the process, it wasn't exactly the most easiest thing to experience, much less watch over.

Thinking about the Salvatore school brought him back to Caroline and the text he had been in the process of responding to. He wondered if she was leaving with them as well.

Klaus knew he had made it clear to her that she didn't need to stick around – for her benefit – but a small part of him couldn't help but wish he could have told her to stay. He had sent her away halfheartedly and he could have sworn he saw a flicker of disappointment in her eyes when he told her she should leave. He sighed and just then another text popped up on his screen… from Caroline.

'Alaric and the rest are leaving today. I'll be in town with work for another week. Staying at the same hotel. See you around, maybe?'

Klaus smiled, he could almost hear her melodious voice say the words. She was staying. He didn't see her proactively making any plans with him but he couldn't resist thinking about things he could show her in New Orleans. She had already received the unabridged tour from him before his death, but there was still so much more to see. He texted her back.

'That would be lovely.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looks like Caroline's sticking around...everybody happy now? See what I did there - 'Brave New World' came out recently and I'm excited to see JoMo on screen again (although I did promise myself I'll only watch after finishing the book - which I haven't - so I'm rethinking my decision now).
> 
> Note on the chapter: I may have mentioned this before, but nowhere in canon has it specifically been said that a werewolf needs to have triggered his curse to be able to turn into a Hybrid so this is just an assumption I'm making for the purpose of the story.
> 
> Reviews are like water on a dry pavement - I suck it up very happily and it keeps me cool. Please send some my way even if my review analogies are getting worse! Thanks!


	14. Just another Night in New Orleans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caroline enjoys a night out while Klaus powers through a painful night in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was coming off a stretch of emotionally draining days when I finished writing this one. Get ready because this is my LONGEST monster of a chapter yet and littered all over with nostalgia points - expect old new faces and new old faces. Lots of things happening and lots of emotions going around. Hope you enjoy it!

"Staying at the same hotel?" Caroline read out loud and huffed. "Why did I even write that?"

"Stop reading your old texts, Care," came Bonnie's voice on the other end of the call. Despite the scolding tone, Caroline was really happy to hear her best friend's voice after so long.

"It's not _that_ old, I sent it an hour ago," Caroline pouted.

"What, only a thousand years is old enough for you now?"

"Oh my God, shut up, Bonnie!" Caroline giggled, feeling like they'd suddenly been transported back in time to the days when their biggest problems were picking which boy in class was the cutest and what dress to wear to the dance.

That really was such a long time ago. Caroline sighed and rubbed her forehead. "I still can't believe he's alive, like _actually_ alive." She didn't need to clarify to Bonnie who she was referring to after narrating the whole story of Hope's birthday party to her.

"I'm not too surprised. If I remember right, Kol had once referred to his brother as a 'cockroach who would outlive us all'."

"Wait a second, did you just _quote_ Kol Mikaelson?"

"Oh yeah, I forgot to mention. I bumped into Kol & his wife Davina in Europe. I even did some work with her; it was quite interesting teaming up with a Claire witch."

"Huh."

"And don't worry I'm keeping an eye out for any information regarding the Gemini coven and the Merge, okay?"

Caroline pursed her lips. "Thanks, Bonnie."

"Have Alaric and the kids left for Mystic Falls already?"

"Yeah, like half an hour ago. Surprisingly he didn't say much when I told him I'll be staying back, which in hindsight was probably only because the kids were around."

"And Cory?"

Caroline stiffened. "I told him to go back home with them and that I'll join him in a week."

"He didn't ask where you were last night? You seem to be keeping him waiting a lot."

"Hey, he knew what he was getting into when we started seeing each other. And he's used to me being away a lot anyway."

"So you're just what, going to exploit the fact that he trusts you and do whatever you want?"

"Do whatever I want? What's that supposed to mean?" Caroline retorted, not liking that Bonnie's voice had taken on a slightly accusatory tone. "Bonnie, if there's something you want to say, just say it."

Silence. Then there was the sound of a deep breath followed by a single question.

"Caroline, why are you still in New Orleans?"

"I told you, I'm following up on some leads with the local covens about the Merge and –"

"Is that it? Or are you sticking around in case Klaus needs your help with something or because he's human and you're worried about him?"

"What? Bonnie, I –"

"Caroline, are you still in love with Klaus?"

Caroline opened her mouth to protest but her words caught in her throat. She shut her eyes and swallowed, leaning back against the headboard of the hotel bed she was sitting on and stretching her legs. She clutched her phone closer with one hand and ran the other through her hair.

"I don't know what I'm doing, Bonnie," she whispered in a moment of raw honesty. She heard Bonnie sigh on the other end of the phone.

"Look Care, you know I'm never going to like him…"

"Bonnie, I don't expect you to –"

"…and I'm never going to be able to overlook the horrible things he did to us, including turning my mother into a vampire…"

"I know," Caroline said quietly.

"But…" Bonnie said slowly, "…if there's anything in this world that validates deserving a second chance, it is dying in order to save a loved one. And I respect that."

Caroline was taken aback; that was the last thing she had expected her best friend to say. "Oh."

"What I'm saying is…if Klaus' shared history with all of us is all that's making you question how you feel, you shouldn't let that be what holds you back. Don't let your 'inner Miss Mystic Falls' who is constantly worried about what everyone else thinks stop you from going for what you want," she added almost teasingly.

Caroline wasn't sure why but her eyes welled up on hearing Bonnie say those words. It wasn't so much the fact that she had unwittingly gotten some semblance of acceptance from her with respect to Klaus –she didn't need one, but it felt good anyway –it was more of the advice she gave and that it was exactly what Caroline needed to hear. She sniffled.

"Bonnie, it's just…" Caroline exhaled slowly hoping that it would stop any tears that were threatening to fall. "There's no point…I can't do this again. Falling in love with someone and that person dying has become this horrible pattern in my life and yes, I _know_ it's an irrational fear to have, but it's also why I don't plan to be in any kind of serious relationship for the foreseeable future."

"Care…"

"And with Klaus?" Caroline laughed wryly. "It's just _way_ worse because I only truly accepted that I was in love with him _after_ he died. If that isn't screwed up, I don't know what is." The first tear made its way down her cheek. She wiped it away and continued. "Honestly after that…it took me awhile – and you know this – but I was finally able to move on and get into some sort of a normal life until…this!" She shook her head. "Look, I'm happy for Klaus and I'm especially happy for his daughter Hope. But the truth is…when he came back from the dead, he also brought back with him all these memories, questions… feelings…"

"And those led to…doubts?"

Caroline was quiet for a moment before answering. "Yes."

Bonnie seemed to be pondering over something. "So does your self-imposed abstinence from serious relationships mean Cory and you are just having fun?"

"Bonnie…"

"It's a relevant question. You two have been seeing each other for awhile now but the fact is he's human and doesn't know you're a vampire. That gives me the impression you weren't planning on keeping the relationship going too long anyway…"

"I was going to tell him eventually!" Caroline said, hoping she didn't sound too defensive. "Once I was sure things were more concrete and that he could deal with it…" she finished weakly.

"I thought that would mean he's going to die."

"Just because I have a phobia doesn't mean I'm stupid!" Bonnie had to stifle a laugh on hearing Caroline's frustrated tone.

"You know, after your experience with Matt I didn't think you had it in you to go that route again. Were you planning on turning him?"

"I'm not sure, but…"

"So was this relationship meant to have a future or not? Or was it meant to be placeholder to fill in the gap that you've felt since you lost Stefan and subsequently Klaus?"

Caroline bristled. "This relationship wasn't even supposed to get this far," she muttered. "And Cory is NOT a placeholder. He's kind, funny…and he's been there for me –"

"And he's _human_ , Caroline. What is the game plan here?"

Caroline's tears had gone dry. "I don't know," she confessed, her voice hoarse. Bonnie's heart went out to her; Caroline was the one who usually had things sorted out. It was strange that she sounded so clueless on what to do next.

"Okay, how about this?" Caroline could almost hear the sad smile in Bonnie's voice. "You've already decided to stick around in New Orleans a little longer. Maybe you can use the time to figure out…things." Bonnie's suggestion seemed to brighten Caroline up a bit.

"You're right, Bonnie… that's exactly what I'm going to do!" she said, sitting up straight in her bed, "I'm going to turn the next few days into a productive week of evaluation."

"Not exactly how I would put it but hey, you're the planner," Bonnie smiled, glad that Caroline was sounding a little less miserable now.

"It's just…ugh! I'm happy with Cory right now, I really am. Which is why I don't know why it's bothering me so much that Klaus basically told me I'm not needed and that I should just leave without so much as a wolf puppy-eyed look. And yes, I know _exactly_ how petty that sounds but…the point is, what if I'm getting ahead of myself and his second shot at life changed things for him? I mean, how do I…" Caroline gulped. "How do I know if it changed the way he felt about me?" She bit her lower lip, hating that she let her insecurity creep into her thoughts.

Bonnie was silent until she asked, "Klaus has a puppy-eyed look?"

"That's what you heard out of everything I said?"

"I'm kidding, Caroline," Bonnie laughed before her tone sobered, "Listen, if Klaus really did tell you what you told me he did at Graduation, I'm sorry to say that kind of love ever dies…even after death; if that makes any sense."

Caroline laughed and felt a warmth deep within when she was hit with the memory of standing in the football field with Klaus, the cool night breeze blowing in her hair, when he agreed to let Tyler return to her while he patiently waited for her to come find him one day.

 _He's your first love. I intend to be your last. However long it takes_.

Bonnie was right, that was hard to beat. And Klaus wasn't just a guy saying a line. He was simply being the older, wiser man. She smiled.

"Thanks Bonnie."

"And besides, none of this matters if you're truly happy with Cory."

Caroline frowned. "Right."

"Caroline, I may be traveling the world but you know I'm always here for you, don't you?"

"Yeah. And of course, I'm here anytime you need me too."

"Alright, Care. I gotta go, talk to you later?"

"Yeah, Bonnie. Good night."

"Not really night time here, but I'll take it. Bye!"

Caroline hung up and that's when she saw she had received a text from Klaus, responding to her last one.

 _That would be lovely_.

 _Well, that was perfectly vague_ , she thought, not that she knew what she was expecting him to say, considering how aloof he seemed to be acting towards her. She placed the phone on her bedside table.

Hopping off the bed, she pulled aside the blinds from the hotel windows to enjoy her perfect view of the New Orleans streets in all its brightly lit glory. The sun had long since gone down and she briefly wondered if Klaus was going through his first transition right now. She considered texting him but deciding he probably wouldn't be in a state to reply if he was, she changed her mind. She ended up making a quick call to Cory to make sure everything was fine and to assure him that she was too. As soon as she hung up, she felt an inexplicable pang of guilt in her gut she wasn't sure what to attribute to; it's not like she had done anything wrong.

 _Yet_. A tiny dangerous voice in her head taunted.

But that was just it. She really hadn't done anything. Even though the phone call she made to Cory was more out of habit than genuine concern, that didn't mean she didn't care or that she cared for someone _else_ more.

She tried to pacify her relationship uncertainties by calling up her girls, glad that she could rely on her children being an aspect of her life she had no doubts or confusion about. Ah, if only the rest of her priorities in life were as clear-cut as that.

As she ruminated over the different thoughts in her head, she watched people on the streets talking, laughing and smiling as they walked the avenues, seeming to have a good time. Caroline made a decision for herself right then and there.

She had promised Bonnie that this was going to be a week focusing on research and evaluation.

But right now, it was a Sunday night and her first actual night in the city of New Orleans – if she didn't count the one she had unwittingly spent with Klaus – and it was only fair that she have one night to herself before she launched into a heavyweight week of work.

She took a quick shower and dried her hair. She put on a blue sundress along with a touch of light makeup before she paused to really look at herself in the mirror.

 _Clarity, Caroline_ , she told herself as she smoothed out her makeup. _Tomorrow is about finding solutions for your girls and understanding where you stand with Klaus. Tonight is all about you. It's about sitting at a nice place, enjoying some jazz and sipping on some really smooth Scotch_.

And she knew just the place to kick off her night with.

* * *

"RAAAWRRRGHHHHHH!"

Klaus felt like his throat was on fire along with the rest of his body as sweat dripped down his bare chest. He was panting heavily, unable to ascertain at what point during his transformation his pained screams had advanced to full-fledged roars. It technically wasn't his first time doing this but since his current body had never been through it before, he suspected things were going to be slightly more intense.

At the moment he was simply a human who had just triggered his werewolf-gene and was experiencing his first full moon. Once he ingested the second dose of Hope's blood after his first shift into a wolf, the vampire element would come into the picture and there would be a whole other experience of advancing into a Hybrid that he would have to look forward to.

More pain to look forward to.

He visualized his daughter's face and reminded himself why he was doing this…reminded himself that all this pain is worth it if he gets to be a father who can protect his daughter on his own terms.

His first transformation was fortunately not as excruciatingly long and painful as first turns tended to be so that was something to be thankful about. Rebekah flashed in and snapped his neck once he was through with it and it was almost an hour later that he woke up, in transition.

He felt fine at the moment but he knew it would be short-lived. He idly recalled what he could expect next based on his experience from back when he was building his militia of Hybrids. It took him back to what he had witnessed from the first Hybrid he had successfully turned.

Tyler Lockwood. He remembered forcing him to drink his blood and killing him without a second thought, just so he could pressure the witch Bonnie into finding a way to make the Hybrid transition a successful one which until that time hadn't seemed to be working out. It was but on a whim that he had lent Tyler a vial of the doppelganger's blood. He had barely observed Rebekah as she held back the boy's pretty little girlfriend and had remained focused on Tyler. One minute the young wolf was spitting up the blood he had ingested, the next he flashed a set of Hybrid teeth with a new shade of yellow glowing in his eyes.

Things really had come quite a long way since then.

For one thing that 'pretty little girlfriend' of Tyler's currently occupied so much more of his mind than she ever did, her presence only growing more each day.

He thought about all the extremes he had gone to in order to ensure Elena's blood was available to him ever since it turned out to be the solution to making more Hybrids. How ironic that he was now depending on his own daughter's blood for more or less the same purpose himself.

He mused over the fact that creating more Hybrids for his personal entourage seemed like such a trivial thing now in hindsight. At this point he was very much aware that it was indeed his deep-rooted fear of being alone that may have been partly responsible for his enthusiasm in creating his band of monsters.

 _Is that why you make Hybrids? A little servant army to take you places and bring you things_?

It was hard to forget that very colorful yet brutally honest description that had been so fearlessly thrown at him, the Great Evil Klaus Mikaelson, by a feisty blonde vampire in a blue dress. The memory brought a smile to his face.

He picked up the vial containing the second round of his daughter's Tribrid blood that had been left behind for him by Rebekah and he poured it down his throat. It only took a moment of waiting before he began to choke and his body began to jerk about violently. It felt like he was turning all over again except this time it was like all his nerve endings had gone into overdrive and his senses had heightened to a whole other level.

With every moment of excruciating pain that passed he began to lose awareness as his brain slowly shifted from human to animal mode. Every moment of elation that came with the surge of power in his system was immediately interrupted by the sound of another bone breaking as his body shaped itself into the body of a wolf. His reflexes prompted him to pull harder at the spelled shackles that his wrists and his ankles had been bound with, despite knowing somewhere at the back of his head that it was futile. That voice of clarity got dimmer and dimmer as his animalistic instincts took over with every change in his body. His eyes widened as he watched his hands sprout claws and his knees began to bend at awkward angles making him cry out in pain some more.

"You're doing great, Nik," a voice emerged from behind the door across the other side of the room and his head snapped up towards the sound. He could see someone through the bars in the small opening in the door and could just about make out a face with golden hair. For some reason his adrenaline-addled brain couldn't comprehend, a memory of a sparkling diamond bracelet flashed across his mind, disappearing as soon as it came. His eyes instinctually tried to focus his vision, barely making out the silhouette that he just about recognized as his sister before his wolf senses kicked in.

He roared at her, baring his Hybrid fangs in all its terrifying glory and his eyes flashed golden. Rebekah looked back at him from behind the door and turned to Freya & Marcel who were standing beside her.

"I thought I'd get some kind of kick out of watching my brother torture himself but this isn't as fun as I imagined it would be," she joked weakly, worry on her face.

"The binding and sound-proofing spells seem to be holding," Freya observed just as Klaus keeled over and fur began to appear across his back. "The shackles should hold too but I can never really tell with Klaus' strength in his Hybrid form."

"Why don't you two get some rest," Marcel suggested, "I'll watch him tonight."

"No," Rebekah shook her head, "I promised Nik I'd be there for him and it's only his first night of turning, which Keelin mentioned is also the hardest. I'm just anxious about the number of times he intends to turn every night to follow through with his ridiculous plan to break the sire bond in under two weeks."

"That's a crazy deadline to enforce upon oneself…" Marcel muttered.

Freya chuckled dryly, "Yes well, you try changing Klaus' mind once he has set his sights on something."

"Touché," Marcel agreed.

"Regardless, I'd like to be here with him tonight," Rebekah looked at her boyfriend and squeezed his hand. "We can alternate night shifts from tomorrow, alright?" Marcel smiled slightly and nodded. He offered Freya his hand and they walked up the steps from the basement, leaving Rebekah alone with her brother, who she now noticed was completely in his wolf form, shackles still in place. It was almost a pity to see such a beautiful creature chained up instead of being allowed to roam free in a forest somewhere.

"I'm sorry you have to go through this Brother," Rebekah said softly, "I hope it's worth it." She watched as the wolf began to transform back into his human form, shrinking till it was just Klaus' naked body crumpled over the sheet that had been left there for him. Rebekah turned away and leaned against the door.

"Two down, many more to go," she muttered to herself.

* * *

Caroline honestly couldn't remember that last time she had indulged in a night out on the town. She knew she had the tendency to get completely absorbed with her work and her family and even when she was going out with Cory she was generally using something work-related as a basis for wherever they were hanging out.

She felt a sudden pang of guilt upon realizing Bonnie may have been right in accusing her of using Cory. The more time she spent here, the more she realized she should probably make time to unwind with him once in a while.

Although her initial plan to turn the night into a pub crawl changed in favor of a relaxed evening at Rousseau's, she couldn't complain. It was a crowded Sunday night and everyone in the bar seemed to know each other, making conversations as they passed by each other's tables. She particularly liked that the people were generally friendly, yet not so much to bother her while she enjoyed her drink.

The tables had already been full when she walked in but Caroline managed to find herself a cozy spot available in the corner at the bar. It didn't hurt that the young woman tending the bar took up her challenge that she make sure her glass never went empty.

Caroline sat back on her stool and watched the people in the bar as she sipped on her drink. She got the feeling that this wasn't just a joint where only humans hung out, rather all kinds of supernatural creatures seem to co-exist; which was nice, that was exactly the kind of harmony she strived to inculcate among the students at her school. She could see people in one corner playing darts and someone playing the guitar in another, while a bunch of people sang along.

"Can you pass the napkins, please?"

Caroline turned in the direction of the voice to see an old man gesturing at a napkin stand in the corner of her table on the other side. "Oh! Yeah, sure," she said and leaned across, sliding the napkin stand across to the man who swiftly took it, thanked her and walked off to his table. Just as she did so, her eyes fell on a collage of pictures on the wall that she hadn't noticed before. She stepped off her stool and stood in front of it to take a better look.

That whole patch of wall was covered with framed pictures. The setup didn't look like the kind you typically found at restaurants and pubs that was reserved for hall-of-famers who had to earn themselves a spot; it was more like a corner for family photos.

She let her gaze roam over the array of pictures – there was one in the centre of a smiling young brunette and a blonde slightly older than her. She couldn't be completely sure but the brunette may have been Kol's wife, but she didn't know who the blonde was. She spotted some solo pictures of men & women and wedding photo of Freya and her wife with Kol officiating. The thought of the wildest Mikaelson doing something so formal made a smile appear on her face. She let out an 'Oh!' when she spotted a beautiful photo of Hope and Freya and saw another one with entire Mikaelson family.

"See somethin' you like, ma'm?" Caroline spun around to see a very handsome man with shaggy brown hair and the brightest green eyes she had ever seen, not to mention a very heavy Irish accent. Caroline let out an awkward laugh.

"Just recognized some of the people in the pictures."

"Oh really, who?" he asked, his eyes widening in curiosity. She hesitated for a moment and he extended his hand to her. "I'm Declan, by the way. I'm the Head Chef here but it's my day off."

"Caroline," she said, still looking a little wary but taking his hand into a firm handshake. She instantly deduced he was human, based on his heartbeat and the warmth of his palm. After the surprise she got from Klaus, she made it a point to be more aware of humans around her, preferably without having to make them bleed. She raised an eyebrow at him.

"You willingly chose to spend your day off at the place you work?"

"Guess there's somethin' to be said about doin' what you love for a livin'," he shrugged, smiling at her.

"I can relate actually," Caroline admitted. "I can't be one to judge…I run a school and live on campus so there's a _very_ fine line between being at work and at home."

"Hold on a minute right there," Declan said suddenly, raising a finger at her, "You wouldn't happen to be Caroline Forbes of the Salvatore School, would you?"

Caroline's eyes widened. "What!? How did you –?"

"The one with the witches, werewolves and vampires?"

"Wait, how do you even know about the place?" Caroline asked, lowering her voice to a whisper. "You're a human, aren't you?"

"Oh I am, thank you very much," Declan said, completely unfazed by Caroline's response. "In fact, you're talking to the head of the Human faction here in NoLa." Caroline huffed out in surprise and he continued, "I actually know about you and the school through Hope, someone who's very dear to me. Her mother Hayley and I used to date – well sorta kinda date, she never liked labels – before she died."

"Oh wow." Caroline exclaimed and her expression turned apologetic. "I'm so sorry I don't know anything about you…"

"Ah, don't be, at the time that whole crazy family of hers worked very hard to keep the whole supernatural world a secret from me."

"I'm not surprised, sometimes things are _so_ much easier that way," Caroline commented and saw that Declan had questioningly raised his eyebrows at her. "Let's just say I am currently in a situation where I'm weighing pros and cons of telling a human very close to me about the 'truth'," she muttered, frowning.

"Well, on behalf of the humans, let me just say we're more equipped to deal with the truth than you may think," he said, flashing a big smile at her. Caroline laughed and narrowed her eyes at him.

"If Hope is so dear to you, how come I didn't see you at her birthday party yesterday?" she asked, slightly suspicious. Declan laughed heartily at her question.

"Listen, I love Hope, I do," he admitted, "But can you blame me for not wanting to be around the Mikaelson family after my experience with them? Also, who do you think baked the birthday cake?" He grinned at her and Caroline wondered what the extent of his interaction with the Mikaelsons was and how bad his experience might have been. She also wondered how it was humanly possible for anyone to have such a bright smile. She found she couldn't help but find herself warming up to him.

"You know, I have to ask, how does a guy like you end up in the Crescent City as the head of the Human faction?"

"You mean someone who is clearly not from around here?" he asked, smirking at her. "I wasn't brought up here but my family – the O'Connell family – has been part of the faction for about three hundred years, keeping the peace between the humans and the supernatural population in town since the time of The Faction's formation by the great evil Klaus himself."

Caroline's eyes glinted at the anticipation of learning more about the supernatural history of the city and Klaus' involvement in it. "Tell me more!" she urged, smiling at him. At this point she wasn't sure if it was her or the alcohol that was making her more curious.

Declan flashed another bright smile at her in return and turned to the bartender, "Keep 'em coming for the lass and me, it's going to be a long one." He then turned back to Caroline and gestured towards the barstools. Caroline obliged and the two of them took their seats.

Declan began narrating his story from the time he first came into town. He told her how he had been visiting at first, hoping to catch up with his cousin Camille whom he hadn't met with in a while.

"That's her right there," he said and pointed to the picture in the centre of the collage they had been looking at earlier, at the blonde woman smiling next to the girl Caroline had assumed was Davina.

"And that's Davina next to her? The Claire witch married to Kol Mikaelson? I wasn't too sure."

"Right you are. Somehow all of the drama in this town had to do with being entangled with the Mikaelson family. Best stay clear of them if you want the rest of your stay to go uneventfully."

"A little late for that…" she muttered and caught Declan narrowing his eyes at her curiously. "I meant I'm the Director of Hope's school! I'm already involved in a way!" Caroline clarified with a smile. Declan still looked unconvinced like there was more to the story and she took a swig of her drink and pointed out, "You're one to talk, you were dating Hayley!"

"To be fair, I was blissfully unaware of a lot of things at the time," he said, shrugging. "Hell, that's how poor Cami went from being an aspiring psychologist to a vampire who got herself killed." His expression turned dark like he was remembering a painful memory. "She never should have gotten involved with Klaus Mikaelson in the first place," he grumbled bitterly.

Caroline nearly choked on her drink. "I'm sorry, wh-what do you mean?"

"My cousin Cami? Turns out she and Klaus were an item, in love and everything from what I hear."

Caroline didn't know how to respond to that but Declan continued talking.

"Of course it started off on a very transactional basis, according to what Marcel told me –"

"Transactional?!" Caroline spluttered. Klaus may have been many things but she would never have pictured him as someone who exchanged favours for sex.

"Not what you're thinking, but then again, who really knows? Apparently, they had started spending a lot of time together when he first compelled her to write his memoirs. But personally from what I know of him, it was probably loneliness that kept him going back for more. He probably just needed someone to talk to and when you can compel yourself a friend, then why not right? In time I suppose it grew into something real from there, I honestly don't know."

Caroline wasn't sure how to be feel about this. It went without saying that Klaus was obviously no saint and had surely been with countless women in his very long life that spanned lifetimes. She was well aware of this even back then when she was sure he was in love with her.

She supposed there really was something about being the centre of attention to someone in spite of all these factors; as much as she hated to admit it then, it had made her feel special.

But Camille had come into his life after her.

After _however long it takes_.

Caroline realized it was completely unfair of her to judge Klaus for being with someone when she was the one who kept turning him away with no near-future plans to be with him. After all, being the one with a thousand years of life experience, he was the one who had told her to go and live her life, keeping the faith that she would one day come find him when she was ready.

On the other hand she was glad Klaus had someone like Camille around, probably helped centre him in times of his turbulent craziness that was their life in New Orleans. She sighed; if Klaus was happy then he deserved to be happy and she wouldn't question it.

"Hello there Caroline, still with us? Will I get you something to eat?" Declan's voice broke through as he snapped his fingers and grinned at her. "Thought we lost you there for a bit, you alright?"

She gave him a small smile, taking her glass and draining her drink. "I think I'll call it a night."

"What, so soon? We're just getting started, Caroline!" he smiled, slight disappointment in his eyes.

"I'm here all week, Declan. I'm sure we'll meet again and you can continue to regale me with tales of this magical city."

"So you're saying you'd like to meet again?"

"Wha –?" Caroline took a moment to register what was happening when she noticed his flirtatious smirk and realized… _was he hitting on her_? She scoffed at him in mock anger.

"Oh my God, Declan, which part of 'there's a human I'm very close to and want to tell about the supernatural world' did you not read as me dating that person?" she asked, unable to stop from breaking into laughter.

"None of it, actually. You specifically did _not_ mention anything about dating anyone. A smart lass like you, I thought I should ask you know?"

She snorted. "Good night, Declan."

"Oh come on, Caroline, are you seriously going to leave because I asked if you'd like to meet again?"

"Actually, I just remembered I have an early start tomorrow," Caroline stepped off the stool and moved to pay for her drinks when Declan stopped her.

"Now I can't have Hope's educator coming into my bar for the first time and having to pay for her drinks, can I? It's quite literally the least I can do."

"You're joking right? You don't even know me, Declan," she scoffed.

"But I know Hope."

"Hmm, not happening," Caroline said stuffing the money into her empty glass and turning to him. "Considering the kind of exhausting work I'm going to be doing over the next few days, there's a good chance I might end up back here to let off steam and we wouldn't want you regretting to pay for my drinks then, would we?" She smiled at him, her eyes glittering as spun away on her heels.

"I'll be seeing you, Caroline," Declan called out to her as she walked away, unable to help the smile that spread across his face.

* * *

"Nik?"

Rebekah peeked through the door to see Klaus wrapped in his sheet on the floor. "Nik, can you hear me?"

She heard a low mumble in response. Convinced that he had fully turned back into his human form, she began to open the door. "Hang on, I'm coming in."

"No…" Klaus muttered weakly, raising his head slightly to look at his sister. "I can do one more…"

"Don't be ridiculous, Nik!" she scolded while carefully taking off his shackles, "You've already turned over ten times in one night and that is way more than anyone should be doing at a stretch from what I understand."

"The more I turn," he said slowly, trying to catch his breath, "..the sooner I can –"

"Is your thirst for power so rooted that you think it's worth being in more pain?" Rebekah scoffed at him, handing him a shirt and a pair of loose pants. Klaus speed-changed into them and glared at Rebekah.

"You _know_ very well this is not about power," he said, his voice slightly shaking. Rebekah sighed and stood up, putting her arm on his shoulder.

"I'm just worried about you, brother."

"I'm a Hybrid now, I'll be fine."

"Yes, but not an _Original_ Hybrid, you could still die!"

"We don't know that for sure…"

"We don't know that it's not true either!" Rebekah shook her head, "Nik, you just became a Hybrid _today_. There's still a lot we don't know. Let's not get ahead of ourselves and tire out your newly transitioned body on the very first day!"

Klaus simply stared at her, quiet for a moment before finally agreeing with a sigh. "Fine."

"There you go. Now let's go get some rest, shall we?"

"There's no need to treat me like a child," Klaus muttered.

"You're a new-born Hybrid –"

"Reborn."

"Sure," Rebekah rolled her eyes at him, "And whether you like it or not, until Freya's baby comes out, _you_ are the one who's going to have to deal with my sympathetic mothering."

"More like pathetic," Klaus grumbled and Rebekah shoved him in his side.

They walked up from the basement in silence, said their good-nights and retired to their rooms. Klaus didn't fully realize how unbelievably exhausted he was until he sat on his bed. He had forgotten about how draining the transformation process could be; the euphoria that came from turning into a wolf and unleashing one's animalistic side usually followed soon after and overshadowed that part. And here he had just undergone numerous turns in one night.

He was lost to slumber the moment his head hit the pillow, so deep in his sleep he didn't even stir when his phone buzzed with a text from Caroline asking if he was doing okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some deep conversations were had in this chapter, I loved having Bonnie tell it like it is! I really wanted to highlight how significant Klaus' transition into a Hybrid was, not just physically but emotionally as well, so I hope that came through. Pardon any typos, I was really tired & sleepy and had class in the morning!
> 
> Just checking in with my readers, hope everyone's getting through this weird time in the world and staying safe, staying happy. Smile, it makes a big difference :)
> 
> If you feel like it, please review and know you'll have put a smile on my face too!


	15. Recovery and Recollection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caroline and Alaric talk about how Klaus coming back to life affects the school...among other things.  
> Hope gets a surprise text and Klaus notices new developments as he wakes up after his first night of turning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sending love out there to everyone, especially the ones who reviewed and put a smile on my face. I can't express how special it is to see hard work pay off when going into details of the story and such.
> 
> It's crazy how much tougher and more intense the writing is getting the more we advance into the story. Phew!
> 
> Pardon the typos, it's really late and I'm really low on sleep.
> 
> Disclaimer: TVD ain't mine.

Caroline wasn't the kind of person who went about doing things without a plan.

First things first, she figured Freya would be the person to talk to so she could get started on a list of people she could meet over the week.

The Mikaelson Witch had helped her once or twice before by sending across some literature about the Gemini coven, rare as it was; even though at the time it felt like it was more of an obligation she was fulfilling on behalf of something Klaus may have told her before he died. Being Hope's legal guardian, her and Freya had interacted a few times so she hoped it wouldn't come as a surprise when she reached out to her for help regarding her daughters' impending merge.

Absently noting that Klaus had yet to reply to her impulsive late-night text – she wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad thing – she started her day making her usual set of phone calls: one to each of her daughters, making sure they were okay in the wake of the information that had to be revealed to them at Hope's birthday party, one to Cory to say hi and to assure him that things were fine on her end and one last one to Alaric. They needed to discuss the repercussions of Klaus Mikaelson's return – the news of which had probably spread to the whole school by now – with respect to the students and the parents' responses along with how they planned to deal with the inevitable fallout.

"How bad is it?" Caroline asked, getting straight to the matter at hand as she put her phone on speaker and scurried around her hotel room preparing for the day.

"Can't tell yet," Alaric's concern was evident in his voice, "Some of the parents are worried that their kids spending time in the presence of Klaus Mikaelson's daughter might have a 'bad influence' on them –"

"But her being a Mikaelson has been public knowledge for ages now!" scoffed Caroline indignantly.

"…and some of them would prefer she be educated separately –"

"That's just ridiculous."

"…there are some parents who are fine with the way things are as long as there is some kind of paperwork or spell ensuring that Klaus Mikaelson himself won't be able to enter the school premises –"

"He isn't allowed anyway…" she muttered, frowning to herself thinking of the last time he had made his appearance on school grounds. He had broken his promise to her that he would stay away from Mystic Falls – one he had made so long ago – just so he could plead for her help in order to save his daughter's life.

"…there's at least a couple of people who are threatening they'll transfer to another school if Hope continues to go there, but as long as they don't rally we should be fine…"

Caroline listened and chewed her lower lip thoughtfully. "How's Hope dealing with all of this?" she asked, wondering what the youngest Mikaelson must be going through.

"Hope's being Hope…putting up a strong front and dealing with it." Alaric sighed, "I should probably talk to her."

"Yeah, you should. She'll listen to you…I think," she added with a small laugh, as she began to rummage through her bag for clothes. "Keep me updated, okay?"

"Of course," he said and there was a slight pause. "What about the Klaus situation?"

"What?" Caroline idly responded, her focus shifted to putting together her outfit.

"Did you find out anything about what really happened?" he enquired.

"Right," Caroline shook her head. "Okay, so when I met him later that day, he explained everything," she started, deciding then and there that she didn't need to divulge the irrelevant fact that she technically spent the night with him. "One thing's for sure, he's back for good and after today he's probably already transitioned into a Hybrid by now…"

"Wait, transitioned? What do you mean he transitioned?"

"Well, he did come back to life like he said…but he came back as a human."

"He what?"

"You know what, it'll be easier if I just tell you what he told me," she resignedly sat down on her bed and proceeded to narrate her own bullet point version of Klaus' story to Alaric.

* * *

Hope's phone buzzed next to her as she took another bite of her sandwich at her spot in the dining hall. She frowned seeing Jake's name flashing on the screen and opened it up.

J: busy?

Hope couldn't help the small smile that appeared on her face. She responded almost instantly.

H: Lunch break. What's up?

Hope tried to think of any specific reason that Jake might be texting her. Was there something urgent going on with her family? Would it be too much to expect that he was simply catching up with her? Her phone pinged again, breaking her train of thought.

J: Come by the grill. I'll make you lunch.

H: Can't really step out of campus until class is done for the day.

J: Oh. If you drop by after class I'll make sure you get your Peanut Butter Blast just the way you like it.

H: Landon does that anyway. He's very thoughtful.

J: Thoughtful, huh? I bet he can't make the perfect burger.

Hope burst out laughing. _What is even happening_ , she wondered. She had long forgotten her sandwich.

H: Between class and campus curfew, I can be at the Grill for about an hour later today. Then I can personally judge your burger skills.

J: Sounds like a plan. I'll see you.

Hope smiled to herself, excited with no idea what to expect.

* * *

After a few minutes of silent listening as Caroline recalled Klaus' story to him, Alaric blew out a low whistle.

"Wow. That is quite the story."

Caroline huffed. "Yeah…"

Alaric paused a moment before cautiously asking, "You believe him?"

"Actually, I do."

"Then I guess that's good enough for me," he stated, "I always did say he was a cockroach that can't be stamped off the earth." Alaric let out a wry laugh, "Clearly even death couldn't do the job."

Caroline ignored Alaric's jab at Klaus. "It is pretty crazy," she admitted. "But at least Hope's happy."

"I imagine getting one parent back after losing both can do that," Alaric mused. "And you?"

"Me?" Caroline frowned. "What about me?"

"How are _you_ feeling… about all this?"

Caroline scoffed, feeling slightly defensive. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Come on, Caroline, do you really want me to point out your blind spot when it comes to Klaus Mikaelson –"

"Blind spot?! Wha –"

"I saw you that day at the birthday party," he said pointedly, "Sure, you were shocked and angry like the rest of us when we found out but you looked like you were going to pass out."

"A person I used to know came back from the freakin' DEAD Rick, I'm sorry if my reaction didn't seem to match your idea of an _appropriate_ response." She could hear Alaric start to say something but cut him off before he could speak. "And you're talking about _my_ behavior? That's rich, coming from the guy who blindly switched into panic mode and just proceeded to drag all of Hope's friends out of her own birthday party!"

"I'm not going to justify that. When it comes to Klaus Mikaelson I'm pretty clear on my actions and the safety of the children is always my number one priority."

Caroline pressed her lips together to stop herself from yelling. "Are you saying that I _don't_ prioritize the kids, Rick?" she asked, her voice icy.

"No! I…" Caroline heard Alaric make a low frustrated noise. "All I'm saying is, you looked a little out of it that day Caroline. You compelled Cory! That is something I know you would never do –"

"You _know_ I haven't given him 'the talk' about the supernatural world. It was easier than having to explain," Caroline muttered.

"So then why did you plan to stick around in New Orleans for another week? It can't have been just to find something for our girls."

"Rick…"

"Give me some credit for knowing you a little bit, Care. I know you went through a tough time after Klaus' death…"

"He was a _friend_ who had just died. I was mourning him."

"I think he was more than a friend."

"No, he WASN'T more than a friend and that's the whole point!" Caroline yelled and instantly wished she hadn't. She hated that Alaric had brought that out of her.

And she hated that there was a good chance he was right.

"Look Care," said Alaric, his tone gentler now, "I'll never be able to forgive Klaus for a lot of things, including killing Jenna," – Caroline flinched at the reminder – "But for what it's worth, the fact that he put another person's life before his, at the cost of his own no less, even if it was for his own kid…I can only imagine he has come a long way in terms of who he is."

Caroline shook her head, blinking away tears that came out of nowhere even though she knew Alaric couldn't see it. "So what is this, some weird kind of _approval_ you're giving me?" she asked bitterly and scoffed. Acceptance from Bonnie was one thing but this coming from Alaric was feeling a little suspicious to her. "I don't need to hear any of this –" She began but stopped short on hearing him let out a hollow laugh.

"Approval? I _hate_ him, Care, and nothing's ever going to change that," Alaric clarified. "And the best part is I can actually say I'll hate him forever and mean it because my lifespan is much more finite as compared to yours."

Caroline was livid. She hated when Alaric made arguments that were based on them being different species and he knew this but she wasn't about to lash out and dignify his statement with a response.

Instead she chose to wait for him to realize the impact of his words and sure enough, a moment later she heard him sigh.

"Caroline, I didn't mean –"

"You know I'm getting a little tired of this whole thing where you constantly tell me what you think of Klaus," Caroline said, her tone frosty. "I get it, you loathe the guy. No need to rub it in my face and make me feel worse than I already do."

"I'm not trying to make you feel bad. Obviously it's your life and it doesn't matter what I think about who you're with as long as you're happy."

"That's the problem Ric," Caroline cried out, "because the sad truth is it does matter to me, whether I like it or not, because at the end of the day you are the father of my children and I know that the choice I make will impact all of us." She took a deep breath to calm herself down. "Why do think this whole situation is so hard for me? You think I want to feel this way? Everything I do is for our family, our kids and this…even thinking about this is going against all of that!"

 _It's not a crime to love what you cannot explain_. Klaus' words echoed in her head. He had been referring to her daughters at the time; it seemed ironic that the same words seemed to apply to him in this case.

"Care, you're always putting everyone else first and you deserve to be happy too," Ric said gently. "All I'm saying is that I'll understand… even if that involves being…" he sounded slightly uncomfortable but got the words out, "…friendly with Klaus."

Caroline was dumbstruck and let out a loud humorless laugh. "I'm sorry, but I'm finding it just a little hard to believe you Rick, the same guy who barely two days ago was panic-herding all his students into a getaway car at the mere presence of Klaus Mikaelson." She pondered over what could have changed his mind in such a short time when it hit her. "Wait a second, did Josie talk to you?"

She heard Alaric fidgeting over the phone and she pressed her lips together in frustration.

"She's the one who talked you into having this conversation with me, wasn't she?" There was a moment of silence before Alaric spoke.

"Fine, he admitted, "If it were up to me I would do everything to make sure that Klaus Mikaelson and our family don't travel in the same circles." – Caroline huffed – "So you can imagine my dilemma when you seem to want to bring him straight into the fold and how that clashes with the fact that I just want you to be happy."

"Okay first of all, I honestly don't even know why we are having this conversation. All I did was extend my stay in New Orleans by a few days! So I don't appreciate you just leaping to conclusions and talking like Klaus and I are getting married!" Caroline was finder it harder not to lose her cool but a certain realization immediately put a damper on her emotions. "Besides, I'm pretty sure he's moved on from the little crush he had so long ago," she said, more to convince herself of a fact that should have been obvious to her, seeing as the Hybrid couldn't even be bothered to respond to a simple text. She could hear Alaric chuckling on the other end of the line.

"Now that…is something _I_ find a little hard to believe, Care." Something within Caroline fluttered upon hearing this and she very nearly asked Alaric how he could be sure of this when she realized how that wouldn't be helping her case.

"It doesn't matter anyway," Caroline said, firmly pushing down the guilty flickers of…hope? She wasn't even really sure. "I'm with Cory…and I fully intend to keep it that way. I only want what's best for our girls."

"I know." Alaric sighed, sensing their conversation had run its course. "I'll talk to you later, Caroline. Be careful."

"I'm always careful," she said. _And yet trouble always seems to find me_ , she added to herself and hung up, feeling more confused than ever at the exchange that had just taken place.

Caroline pushed all her haphazard thoughts to the back of her head – she just realized she'd been doing that a lot lately & idly imagined her brain exploding at some point – to shift her focus to what was really important. Today's agenda was about saving her daughters' lives and that's precisely what she was going to do. Everything else could just go and...

She chewed her lower lip wondering why she was so on edge and if it was actually a manifestation of her mild irritation with a certain someone. Though why she had to be annoyed with him, she didn't even know, it was just a stupid text and there was no absolutely no reason at all for her to act like a moody teenager.

Having calmed her mind storm for the moment, she stepped into the bathroom for a quick shower before heading out into the streets of New Orleans in search of some witches.

* * *

Klaus opened his eyes to glaring sunlight that was too bright to be morning time. He figured he must have slept in after last night's events, the memories of which were slowly coming back to him as his body began to wake up fully.

He moved to sit up in bed and almost fell back when he realized his body was aching all over. "Bloody hell," he cursed and propped himself up on his elbows, wincing a little from the tenderness in his arms. It was when he used one arm to massage the other that he noticed something strange.

His gaze slowly shifted from his arms and chest to the bed he was lying on and his eyes widened in confusion.

The shirt that Rebekah had given him to wear last night lay tattered in pieces around him.

"Ah, finally you're awake."

Klaus' eyes shot up to see his sister Freya walking in with a blood bag, who stopped in her tracks on seeing his alarmed face.

"What the hell happened? You look like you were attacked!" she exclaimed, rushing to sit by his side on the bed and handing the plastic pouch to him.

"I don't feel particularly great, which I'm assuming is the norm after having turned over ten times in a row on the very same day that one became a Hybrid," he said, eagerly sipping on his blood bag which was surprisingly warm, no doubt courtesy of a spell that Freya had put in place.

"There's nothing that can be categorized as 'the norm' in your situation," Freya chided him gently, a very serious look on her face. "Maybe we should…cut down to just three turns per day –"

"My idiot band of half-witted Hybrids used to turn up to thirty times in a row when they were trying to break their sire bond with me," Klaus shook his head, looking at Freya, "Surely I'm surely capable of ten or fifteen to begin with." He tossed the already empty blood bag onto the bedside table.

"There's no hurry, Niklaus, we can take our time…"

"I said I'm doing it," Klaus snapped at her and immediately frowned. "I'm sorry, Sister. I just…the sooner this happens, the better."

Freya was no stranger to her brother's stubbornness – not to mention it ran in the family – and knew it was pointless trying to convince him once his mind had been made up. She simply stared at him. "Do you want to tell me what happened to you last night and why pieces of your shirt are all over your bed?"

"I wish I knew."

"Nightmares?"

"Not that I can recall."

"Based on the tear marks, it looks like you were…ripping away at your chest," Freya said, looking closely at what remained of the garment while examining him. "Some of these scraps have blood on them but if there was a wound it's already healed by now."

"There's blood on my fingertips and under my fingernails, which I suppose is consistent with your theory of me tearing away at my chest."

Freya sighed. "I don't see any other signs of physical injury. You're lucky you currently have speed healing."

"One problem at the cost of another. I do feel lucky," Klaus said with a sarcastic smile.

"Do you feel any pain?"

"Just…a little sore," he muttered, sounding almost embarrassed to admit it.

"That's…odd. After shifting, your body's healing abilities should have taken away all soreness by now," Freya simply stated, oblivious to Klaus's discomfort and making him raise an eyebrow at her. "Hey, my wife's a werewolf, I've obviously done my research," she shrugged, making him chuckle slightly. She sat back and frowned.

"Something definitely happened while you were asleep…I think one of us should stay up with you tonight after you go to bed."

"Fantastic. More babysitting," Klaus drawled, rolling his eyes. "You know this could simply be the result of over-exertion soon after turning. Let's not straightaway go jumping to the conclusion that I'll need a full-time caretaker like I'm a senile old man."

"Well, you _are_ over a thousand years old."

Klaus growled at her and she smirked.

"Based on yesterday, it looks like your nights are going to be spent turning and most of your day sleeping to regain your strength, at least for the foreseeable future," Freya pointed out. "Hope you didn't have any special plans this week."

"Speaking of sleeping all day, what time is it?"

"Around two in the afternoon. I just got back from the Quarter and thought I'll check up on you." Freya began to pick up some of the stray pieces of torn cloth lying around. "While you spent your day counting sheep, I actually had quite the productive day talking to some of my witch friends with a certain Miss Forbes," she added with the hint of a teasing smile on her face, "I have to say she is a force to be reckoned with!"

Klaus' interest was piqued but he kept a straight face. "You were with Caroline?" he asked softly, trying not to sound overly curious. "What's wrong?"

Freya shook her head. "Nothing, just helping her out like we talked about; figured it wouldn't hurt to go the extra mile after our last conversation about this," she looked at Klaus pointedly as he sheepishly looked back at her, easily recalling when not so long ago he had snapped at her about not helping Caroline enough.

"She's in town this week so I'm putting her in touch with people who might know about the merge or the Gemini coven," Freya explained further. Klaus didn't say anything and simply nodded.

"She asked about you, you know."

Klaus raised his head, his blue eyes meeting his sister's almost identical ones, but didn't respond.

"Aren't you planning on meeting her at all while she's here?"

Klaus laughed wryly and shook his head. "Well, Sister, based on my 'tight schedule' of sleeping and turning – as you so helpfully pointed out – I doubt I'll be having any time to _socialize_ in the near future," he drawled, flashing a sardonic smile at her.

"Caroline Forbes is Hope's educator and in your absence has become an even more significant person in your daughter's life, Brother. You should take some time out while she's here to at least thank her for all she's done," Freya advised. Klaus shrugged, raising his eyebrows when he saw Freya looking at her strangely.

"What?" he asked, impatiently.

"Nothing, it's just…your hesitation to meet her was just making me wonder if you already 'thanked' her the other night when she stayed over," she added, the serious look she had maintained till now slowly breaking into a smirk.

"Bloody hell, nothing happened," Klaus groaned, rolling his eyes as he saw Freya struggling to hold back a laugh. He was seriously going to kick Rebekah's arse for filling his siblings' heads with these rumors. Hell, even Kol had managed to find time to tease him about it before he left for Europe.

"Oh, I believe you," Freya laughed, "Marcel was quite convinced your demeanor would have been much more, what's the word… _cheery_ if that was the case, based on that one time he met you right after your visit to Mystic Falls."

Klaus knew the exact time that Marcel was referring to and it was taking all his self-control to not get lost in the memories of that glorious day. He remembered it like it was just yesterday. The earthy scent of the woods…the whispers of the fluttering leaves in the trees…

The taste of _her_ skin on his tongue.

Klaus cleared his throat and scowled at Freya. "Is this what you lot sit around and do while I'm breaking my bones in the basement? Chit chat and ruminate on idle gossip?"

"It's fine if you don't want to tell us," Freya continued in between laughs. Klaus narrowed his eyes at her and leaned forward so she could hear him loud and clear as he spoke slowly.

"If something had indeed happened, there's no way you wouldn't have _heard_ about it," he growled, immediately turning Freya's laugh into a grimace.

"Okay Brother, you just killed my buzz," she grumbled at Klaus who was now smiling smugly at her. "But I'm serious about you meeting Caroline."

Klaus sighed. "I suppose I do need to have a proper conversation with her, considering the last time we met was mostly spent telling her how I got back here."

"Why don't you just make her part of your schedule? Maybe you can ask her to be your babysitter one of these nights –"

"There has got to be a better term…"

"Fine, she'll be your 'backup'. I'm pretty sure Caroline won't mind; frankly I think she'd be happy for a chance to boss you around and –"

"No."

Freya raised her eyebrows at him. "Why?"

"I just…" Klaus hesitated, sounding strangely unsure. "…I don't want her to see me like this…" he finished quietly.

His sister scoffed at him. "Like what exactly?"

"Out of control. She's a vampire – a relatively young one at that – and it's too dangerous for her."

"It's dangerous for us too, you know, thank you for caring. That's why we have all the precautions in place, remember?"

Klaus sighed and looked at his sister. "You know, the whole act of transforming into a wolf is actually quite a beautiful thing. It's hard to explain but the closeness you feel with nature once you've turned, your animalistic instincts taking over…" Klaus beamed, reminiscing on the feeling of euphoria the first time he'd turned after breaking the curse. His smile faltered a little upon remembering the deaths surrounding that event and how it may not sit well with his loved ones today but he continued.

"Truth be told, Sister, there's no feeling more freeing. It makes all the pain that you got through to be there in that state worth it. Every single time." Freya simply nodded in acknowledgment.

"However, turning multiple times at a stretch is turning out to be this whole thing where I'm left exhausted and…"

"What, weak?"

Klaus frowned, shaking his head as if he had difficulty saying his next words. 'Yes," he said quietly. Freya shook her head incredulously.

"I don't believe you, Klaus. In fact, I'm pretty sure Caroline is the only person outside family who you trust enough to completely be yourself with, no judgments. Why would this be any different?"

Klaus hesitated. Freya was right and it's not like he needed any convincing in terms of spending time with Caroline.

This wasn't about being vulnerable with Caroline; he's never had a problem with that before. This wasn't even about putting her in danger, he knew that much. At least that wasn't a major part of it even though he was sure Caroline could take care of herself.

He wondered if what was really making him apprehensive was the prolonged time he would be spending with her in closed quarters and the danger of it weakening his resolve to keep the vow he had made to let her live her life in peace without his interference in her happiness. He shook his head.

"This is ridiculous; I can't just ask her to drop what she's doing and come watch me torture myself," Klaus argued, "Not to mention the after party where I apparently tear myself apart in my sleep."

"She has a school full of werewolves, I'm sure she can handle it."

"Of course she can handle it. It's her time I doubt she has to spare; she's barely here for a week –"

"I'm pretty sure she'll make time if you ask her. Also, apart from the school, doesn't she have first-hand experience with looking after werewolves – some ex-boyfriend of hers?" Freya spoke, ignoring him, "Your first hybrid I believe?"

Klaus stared at her, wide-eyed. "Why do you even know these things?"

"Let's just say there was a lot of information I retained from the time you became my anchor in order to save Rebekah that one time," Freya smiled at him. "I guess with you being over a thousand years old, it was more of your recent past that I had access to. From all that drama regarding doppelgangers, the sun and moon curse and – oh!"

Klaus immediately sat up, worried. "Sister, what's wrong? Are you alright?"

"The baby kicked!"

* * *

"Well this is nice," Hope said, helping herself to a chair in the outdoor seating of the Grill. Jake had just rushed out of the kitchen and placed her Peanut Butter Blast and very delicious looking burger at her table.

"My shift gets over in five. I'll just get rid of my apron and join you."

"Great," Hope smiled sweetly and took a sip of her milkshake. It was perfect.

As Jake slipped back into the kitchen, she spotted Landon waiting a table nearby and waved at him. He flashed her a smile and waved back. She picked up the burger in her hands and took a big bite.

It really did feel perfect, not that she was going to admit it to Jake. She closed her eyes and really took in the different flavors that were hitting her senses in the most amazing ways…

"It's pretty good, isn't it?" Jake's voice made her eyes snap out of her foodgasm moment and she swallowed as he sat across her at the table with a cocky grin on his face. Without his apron, he was just a guy in dark jeans and a plain green tee.

"I wasn't even going to say anything but this is really something," Hope admitted with a small smile as she continued to chew. "What's your secret?"

"It's science, plain and simple. The nose is as important as your mouth when it comes to enjoying your food so you can see how being a werewolf with a heightened sense of smell comes in handy."

"That's actually pretty cool," Hope said, nodding.

"Yup," Jake smiled at her, his expression slowly turning slightly awkward as he realized hadn't really thought this meeting through beyond getting Hope to eat. Before he could attempt to get the conversation moving, Hope spoke up.

"So, why did you call me here? You seem really passionate about food but…" Hope hesitated, "Was it really just for the burger?" she asked nervously.

Jake shrugged. "I just figured you might like it."

"You weren't wrong there," Hope agreed with him. She put aside the burger for a moment and looked at him thoughtfully. "Do you have a pack of friends you hang out with?"

Jake raised an eyebrow at her sudden curiosity but went with it. "Well, I told you I'm from the Crescent Pack but yeah I have a bunch of people I hang out with."

"That must be nice," Hope muttered. "Back at school it's a little tough to fit in when you're a Tribrid freak show."

"You're not a freak show, Hope," Jake said suddenly, making Hope look straight at him. "You're special."

Hope blinked, unable to help the warmth she felt on her cheeks. "Thanks," she said and glanced at her phone. "Speaking of school, I should be getting back." Jake flashed his bright smile at her.

"I'll give you a ride, princess."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think what took me the longest to write & edit was the conversation between Caroline and Alaric. There were a lot of deep topics to cover there and the uniqueness of their dynamic was challenging to work with so I hope the writing came through in fairness to their characters.
> 
> Meanwhile, I love writing Klaus-Freya convos because I've always loved their sibling dynamic on the show. It's slightly different here with Klaus being slightly more mellow in his current situation and Freya being slightly more cheerful in her pregnant state but fun all the same.
> 
> What do you think is happening with Jake and Hope? What did you guys think overall about the character dialogue? Share any and all thoughts with me!
> 
> Just a reminder: after two weeks of daily updates (and this bonus chapter) as promised we will be shifting to a weekly format - from now on, there will be a new chapter EVERY WEDNESDAY! If you like the story, don't forget to Bookmark so you don't miss out!


	16. St. James Infirmary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Klaus makes plans with Caroline on Freya's insistence and makes his first steps back into the world as a Hybrid. Hope opens up to Jake about how she is worried about her father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always I like to start by thanking everyone who read and especially those who took the time out to review! I can't tell you how much it means to me - special hugs to those who continue to leave Kudos as well! Geez, am I sounding like a broken record or what? Also, how dated is that phrase?
> 
> This felt like a particularly long week - I don't know if it was the stormy weather or if it was my procrastination mood (though to be fair, that did result in some more original KC manips that you can find on my tumblr (tnapki) What can I say, creating manips is a weird stress buster for me.
> 
> I'm just going to assume that no one's complaining that my chapters are seeming to continue on the longer side. Okay then.

"The baby kicked!" Freya said excitedly and before Klaus could react, she grabbed his hand and placed it on her belly.

A moment later there was another bump, bringing a warm smile to Klaus' face that mirrored Freya's.

"I don't think this will ever cease to amaze me," he admitted, fondly remembering the first time he had experienced that with Hayley while Hope was in her womb.

"Yeah…" Freya hummed happily with a crooked smile and leaned over, "Also, I found out the sex of the baby and Keelin didn't want to announce to anyone till it was born but I really had to tell someone, so…"

Klaus slightly tilted his head at her, gesturing for her to go on.

"It's a boy."

A genuine smile graced Klaus' tired face and he pulled Freya into a gentle sideways hug, careful not to put pressure on her baby bump. "Congratulations, sister."

"Thank you brother," she replied, getting up from his bedside and disposing of the torn pieces of Klaus' shirt into a trash can in the corner. "You know, before all this happened we had decided that if it is a boy we'd name him after you," she confessed, disappearing for a moment into Klaus' walk-in closet and reappearing with a fresh shirt in her hand.

"That's lovely," he said, remembering the vision that Mary-Alice had made him privy to while he was in the Ancestral Well.

That seemed like such a distant memory now, like a dream from long ago which he was slowly starting to forget.

Freya handed him the grey Henley and he took off the shirt he had on – or at least what remained of it anyway – to slip into the new one. "So tell me, Sister," Klaus asked, a sly smile on his face, "Changed your mind about the name now that I'm back?"

"Maybe I'll keep it if you behave yourself and not turn into a power-hungry megalomaniac," she said winking and the two siblings laughed together. Freya looked at Klaus thoughtfully. "If you're feeling better you should stretch your legs, take a walk around. The news of your return is already out so there's no reason you should be cooped up in here."

"Actually I wasn't planning on stepping out until I'd regained my full un-sired Hybrid form back but I suppose it doesn't matter if the general public is unaware of my…situation."

"You know some of the Crescent Pack came by this morning to check if the rumors about you were true. They kept pressing for proof and eventually we had to send them away. I didn't think you would have wanted them seeing you like this."

"Good decision," he agreed with a wry smile. "I'll step out later today, maybe a neutral spot like St. James Infirmary to begin with and maybe go on from there.

"Great, so when should I tell Caroline to meet you?" Klaus laughed lightly and looked as his sister pointedly.

"Freya, you seem pretty adamant about putting the two of us together…any particular reason why?" he asked suspiciously, narrowing his eyes at her. "Where's the Mikaelson brand of paranoia when it comes to people outside the family? I can almost say I took pride in that being something we had in common as siblings."

"Would you believe me if I said pregnancy has made me more trusting?" she joked with a smirk and Klaus shrugged. "I just think she would be a good influence on your humanity and that's important, especially now."

"Ah, and you think Caroline is fitting for this why exactly?" Klaus didn't need to be reminded that Caroline was one of the few people who managed to bring out a side to him that was unseen to most but he was curious as to why his sister – one who had never even seen him interact with Caroline – thought so.

Or maybe he just wanted to hear someone say out loud that there was still a reason for him to maintain the belief that Caroline hadn't completely moved on from him and that he still had a shot at 'however long it takes'.

"I told you, when I looked into your mind all those years ago; even with all the chaos in your mind her presence seemed to stand out in your head. It seems ridiculous that you won't give her a chance –"

"She is seeing someone you know."

"So I'm not asking you to shack up with her, I'm sure her friendship meant something to you."

His sister wasn't wrong there. Caroline hadn't been a physically present part of his life since he left Mystic Falls but her friendship was something that Klaus treasured over the years since.

The reason was simple enough. Caroline offered Klaus what he saw as a rare kind of friendship; one that was reliable, a trait he seldom attributed to people he came across in his long life. In fact, Caroline's fierce loyalty towards her friends was one of her many qualities he admired and had longed to become worthy of attaining all those years ago.

Over time they had reached a level of understanding in their friendship where conversations continued after long stretches of time apart like they had never been out of touch.

A true friendship of the immortal kind. Klaus sighed and shrugged at his sister.

"I'll call her," he said reaching out to grab his phone from underneath the discarded blood bag.

"Good," Freya said and turned to leave the room with a smug grin on her face, leaving Klaus to roll his eyes.

* * *

Caroline walked into her freshly cleaned hotel room and thought she had quite the productive first day.

Thanks to Freya's help she was able to pinpoint some prospective sources that could shed some new light on possible ways to keep both her daughters safe. She was pleasantly surprised that the very pregnant Mikaelson sister had agreed to come personally when she could have simply sent the information to her on the phone. As Hope's legal guardian, she had never really spent any time with Caroline apart from the brief conversations regarding Hope's progress at school at parent-teacher conferences. After today, Caroline found that she actually enjoyed Freya's company.

Not to mention there was a lot about Freya that reminded her of Klaus which may or may not have played some part in that.

Caroline had innocently asked Freya about him, intentionally skipping the part about the silly response-less text that still annoyingly weighed in on her mind.

 _I'm just worried, that's all_ , she had told herself. Freya told her that Klaus had been fast asleep when she left the house, crediting his deep slumber to a night spent repeatedly shifting between wolf and human. Caroline remembered feeling a sense of relief, not wanting to clarify in her head whether it was because she had learned that Klaus was fine or because sleep was a valid enough reason in her book for him not to answer her now seemingly unimportant text.

"Seriously?" Caroline said out loud to her empty room. She couldn't believe that one stupid text had her behaving like she was her old teenage self waiting by her phone to be asked out to the Prom.

Caroline laughed softly to herself. Her actual Prom seemed like a lifetime ago. She remembered how it had started out on a bad note owing to humanity-less Elena stealing her dress and how she had eventually ended up having the most perfect time after the surprise visit from Tyler later that night at his old house.

Now that she thought about it, the irony lay in the fact that Klaus was technically the one to thank for most of her happy memories from that night.

She had turned to the Great Evil Klaus Mikaelson to ask him to lend her a dress fit for a queen – she still doesn't know what she was thinking when she had decided to do so – to make up for Elena taking hers from the store and he had gracefully obliged her, making her feel like true royalty at the party.

And she wasn't an idiot. Tyler coming into town only happened because Klaus had allowed it to happen – she assumed for her benefit, which was probably his own twisted way of doing something nice for her.

Her suspicions had been confirmed when she heard Klaus' voice from outside the house, right after Tyler had stepped out to leave and shut the front door behind him.

She could never forget how terrified she had felt at the moment, fearing for Tyler's life. She considered storming out onto the front porch and pleading with Klaus but for some reason she didn't feel like she would have to.

For some reason, even after all the horrible things he had done, she believed she could actually trust Klaus not to do something so dreadful, something that he knew would hurt her so deeply.

As Caroline listened to Klaus' voice outside the door, a tiny part of her had even felt touched by the evidently painful restraint – for her sake, he had made that clear – shown by the Original Hybrid with regards to killing Tyler, a miracle considering he wasn't someone who was known for mercy and forgiveness.

Her trip down memory lane was interrupted by the sound of her ringtone. She glanced at the Caller ID and scoffed.

 _Think of the devil_. She picked up on the second ring, ready to bombard him with the rules of phone etiquette.

"Finally awake, Klaus? I was starting to think we didn't have a texting sort of relationship."

"Hello love," He gave her his familiar greeting, her cold open into the conversation appearing to amuse him. "Truth be told, if I had any say in the matter our 'relationship' would be anything but _textual_ ," he drawled, stretching out the last word suggestively. "Although I'd be lying if I didn't say I felt a semblance of hope owing to your seeming interest in my _sleep_ patterns." Caroline rolled her eyes.

"Laying the innuendo on a little thick this evening, are we?" She heard Klaus chuckle on the other end.

"Actually I called to see if you're free to meet. Tonight."

"Oh."

"Don't worry love, it's not a date. I just want to talk." Caroline felt an unexplained pang in her gut when she heard him say that.

"Oh?"

"Yes, I'll be making my first official step out into the world after my return and I thought, who better to be by my side when doing so, convenient as it is that she happens to be in my city? Besides, drinks are much more enjoyable with the right company, wouldn't you agree?"

Caroline frowned. "So you want me to keep you…company? To talk? That's why you want me to come?"

"Well it doesn't hurt that my grand entrance will be intensified knowing that I'm walking in with the most beautiful woman in the room."

Caroline scoffed. "Right. You do realize you're talking about a room where you haven't even seen the other women to compare with."

"I don't need to," he said softly and Caroline's breath caught. He really was bringing the charm tonight. She cleared her throat.

"Fine. When and where?"

"I'll pick you up at seven, sweetheart. We can go together."

"Erm, no. I think I'll just meet you straight there Klaus."

Klaus' eyes narrowed. "Worried about being alone with me too long Caroline? Or worried about me knowing where you live? Trust me the latter is but a phone call away –"

"First night of turning into a Hybrid and we're already feeling pretty cocky are we?" She shut her mouth as soon as the words came out. "Oh my god I walked right into that one."

Klaus laughed, 'Now who's using innuendo. I like where your mind is at, Caroline. Though it's fine talk coming from a girl who's dating a human safely tucked away in another city so she can feel free to be herself."

"I feel plenty free in my town, okay Smarty Pants?" she retorted, feeling her face burn when she heard Klaus let out a loud laugh at that remark.

"Oh Caroline, I've been called many things…"

"Mmm-hmm."

"But this.."

"Ugh!"

"…takes the cake."

"Are you going to tell me where we're meeting or not? Before I decide to change my mind about being available?"

"St. James Infirmary, it's a bar and jazz club in Algiers. At half past seven this evening. Dress code tonight is semi-formal."

"I'll dress however I want," she grumbled.

"I was only informing you, it's your choice what you want to do with the knowledge of it. I'll see you there, Caroline."

Caroline could've sworn she could hear his smug grin in his voice before she hung up. For a moment she questioned whether meeting him would be a good idea.

_Nonsense, they were friends and friends hung out all the time right?_

Then why was she feeling mildly anxious about what she should wear tonight?

Semi-formal dress code, my foot.

* * *

Klaus stood at the entrance of St. James Infirmary, one of the oldest establishments in the city and one that he felt closely attached to. The building still belonged to Marcel but it had provided a safe haven for his daughter at some point and that made it special to him. The fact that over time it had become a sort of neutral safe space for all supernatural creatures – after Elijah had convinced a coven to turn the building into a no-magic zone – made it an ideal place for him to swing by on his first day out in the open.

He noticed a few of the patrons giving him strange looks before entering the bar, whispering to each other – which really was pointless considering his supernatural hearing – and Klaus couldn't help feel a little smug.

 _He was dead, but he wasn't forgotten_.

He decided to wait for Caroline before getting in; it was only quarter past seven and he figured he could make a quick phone call to Hope. He dialed her and she picked up almost immediately.

"Dad?"

"Hello, sweetheart. Hope I'm not interrupting anything, and by that I mean homework."

Hope laughed. "Well, I was practicing some spells we learned in class today…nothing major. How was your day? Did you get some rest after last night?"

"I'm fine, love. As a matter of fact, now that my secret's out in the open, I thought it's about time I got around to introducing myself back into society."

There was pause on the other end. "Wait, you're outside?"

"Why yes, I'm just heading into St. James Infirmary."

"But Dad you only just turned into a Hybrid, are you sure you're fine to go out? Shouldn't you be resting or something?"

"There's no need to worry, my littlest wolf. I'll be fine."

"I just don't want you getting into dangerous situations while you're still adjusting to being a Hybrid again, Dad."

"I was a Hybrid for a very long time, Hope. Trust me when I say it hardly requires adjusting to."

"You told me yourself, our enemies are out there and some of them may be lying in wait for a chance to get back at you –"

"Hope, sweetheart, relax. I don't want you to have to worry about me. Just focus on your schoolwork and I'll see you on the weekend, alright?"

Hope sighed. "Fine, Dad. Just don't get into weird fights with strangers and start beating them up or I don't know, kill anyone." Klaus laughed out loud.

"After creating that picture in your head, I'm quite convinced you'll be disappointed when I have no interesting story to tell you tomorrow; I'm only going for a drink or two."

Another pause, followed by a deep breath. "Alright, Dad. Drop me a text when you get home alright?"

"I may be relatively new to being a hands-on father but isn't that something I should be telling you?"

Hope laughed. "Probably…Have fun then, Dad. I love you."

"I love you, Hope," he said, hanging up and taking a quick glance at the time before dropping the phone into his pocket.

"You're early," Klaus heard Caroline's sweet voice behind him and had to prevent his jaw from dropping when he turned around and saw her.

She had a coat on but it had been left completely open, giving him a clear view of her light knee-length dress with a V-neck that beautifully gave her collar bones the attention they deserved. His newly acquired keen eyesight caught that her dress was actually a very light powder blue – which to the casual observer would have appeared white – and it was interspersed with floral patch designs.

 _He liked her in blue_.

It was when Caroline cleared her throat that he realized he had been looking at her a little longer than what would be deemed normal. He adjusted his own jacket and shirt, simply smiling at her.

"What?" she asked a little timidly, tucking a lose strand of her short hair behind her ear.

"Nothing," was all that came out of Klaus. "You're stunning, love."

Caroline looked at him pointedly, an awkward smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Did you forget that I'm too smart to be seduced by you?" she asked, cheekily reminding him of the night he had first asked her to take a chance on him.

"Who said anything about seducing? I'm just making an observation."

Caroline scoffed, realizing there was no point debating with him. "Well then…thank you. You're not too bad yourself. Crimson suits you," she said, gesturing at the shirt that he had opted for, forgoing his usual choice of Henley. "I hope it wasn't a preventative measure in case you planned on spilling any blood tonight," she commented sardonically.

"How macabre, Caroline," Klaus smirked. "But if anyone could fret over someone's murder with the same intensity as the prospective laundry issues that came with it, I believe that would be you, sweetheart." Caroline rolled her eyes.

"Whatever, Klaus. Shall we?" she said, extending her elbow to him.

"Yes, we shall," Klaus said, happily taking her arm to loop around his and finally stepping into the bar.

* * *

"Everything okay?" Jake asked as he watched Hope put her phone in her pocket.

The two of them were standing on the balcony of the abandoned mill on the Salvatore property and in the silence that surrounded them, it had been a little hard not to overhear Hope's phone conversation.

"Dad's…outside, Hope said, frowning. "Like, walking around in the city. It's just weird and I'm just worried about him."

"Do I need to remind you how terrifying your father is? He's going to be fine." Hope shook her head.

"I don't know…it's just all so new and we hardly know anything about the magic that got him back. He's already transitioned into a Hybrid but how do we even know things will be the same as before? Even worse, what if all this is temporary and my Dad is just…here for now?"

"Whoa, whoa Hope." Jake's eyes widened at the anxious tone in her voice. He gently put his arms on her shoulders and looked her in the eyes. "Listen to me, Hope. If your Dad said he's back then you've got to trust him. I mean, the guy is over a thousand years old," he added with a small smile.

"Yeah, I guess." Jake dropped his hands and they turned to look out into the woods from the balcony, standing in comfortable silence for a few moments before Jake finally spoke.

"You know when I said I'll give you a ride I was talking about your Boarding School, in case that wasn't obvious."

"Well, we are on school grounds so that's close enough," Hope shrugged.

"Does your boarding house even allow their residents to stay outside this late? Or is it that fancy schools have a different set of rules?"

Hope scoffed. "Hardly. Also I told you, I'm technically not even outside at this point."

"If you say so."

"In fact, if anyone is trespassing it's you. And Mr. Saltzman doesn't take kindly to intruders; he's going to go straight for his crossbow." Jake cleared his throat.

"You know what, I'm just going to go now…"

* * *

St. James was relatively crowded – Nola bars usually were that way every night, irrespective of what day of the week it was. Klaus walked in like he would any other night, the only difference this time being the beautiful vampire beside him.

"Would you like to sit at a table? Personally I'm partial to a particular spot at the bar which gives me the best vantage point, so to speak."

"Err, yeah. The bar's fine," said Caroline absently, her eyebrows furrowed as she looked around with a strange expression on her face. Klaus noticed but chose to let it be.

Luckily enough the seat that Klaus had been referring to was vacant, almost as if it had been indefinitely reserved for him. He had planned to compel whoever was in the adjacent seat to leave so he could make space for Caroline but ended up not needing to as a young man who was currently seated there took one look at Klaus and scrambled away in the direction of the exit. Klaus glanced at Caroline.

"They remember me. Fantastic," he smirked. She rolled her eyes.

They took off their jackets and got up on the bar chairs which were as comfortable as Klaus remembered. His only discomfort at this point was the very agreeable view of Caroline's crossed slender legs on the seat right next to him being a distraction for the rest of the night.

Not exactly the vantage point he was referring to earlier, but he couldn't really complain.

"Klaus Mikaelson?"

Klaus begrudgingly turned his eyes away from Caroline's ankles, glad she hadn't noticed while she was digging something out of her purse. He looked to see the bartender staring at him like she's seen a ghost – he couldn't blame her – and immediately recognized that face.

"Sylvia," Klaus flashed his trademark grin at her, dimples showing in all their glory. "You got older."

"And you stayed the same," Sylvia said plainly, narrowing her dark eyes at him. "Thought you were dead."

"I was. Didn't take. Thought you would have left by now," Klaus said simply, making Sylvia shake her head at him, here dangly earrings and locks of black hair from her ponytail swaying in unison.

"I tried, didn't take," she quipped back at him. "So it's true then. You're back from the dead. Everyone's been talking but I figured they were rumors."

"Well, here I am in the flesh and I'll have my usual; that is, if you still remember."

"Oh you know very well I don't forget things," Sylvia said with a crooked smile, "Besides, you came here often enough so I couldn't forget your order even if I wanted to."

"Except let's make it two this time, one for me and one for this very special lady," he gestured at Caroline who just then looked up from her phone, having been checking her texts. She gave a polite smile to Sylvia and put her device back into her bag.

"You're familiar," Sylvia said, looking at Caroline and frowning.

Caroline smiled awkwardly. "I just have one of those faces, I guess."

Sylvia didn't look convinced but turned away to get their drinks. Klaus was sure something was up now.

"Is something the matter, Caroline?"

"Nothing, it's silly…"

"You know," Klaus started softly, turning in his chair to face her fully, "Sylvia wasn't exaggerating when she said she doesn't forget things." Caroline's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she looked at Klaus.

"She has a photographic memory," he explained. "It was one of the many aspects that made her a reliable source of people's whereabouts for when I needed it."

Caroline bit her lower lip as she took in this piece of information and Klaus could have sworn he felt the wolf inside him rumble at the sight of her unconscious action.

"Oh," was all she said.

"Yes," Klaus continued, "Which also means that when she said that you're a little familiar she was only being polite and respectful of your privacy in case that's something you wouldn't have wanted to share with your…company."

"That's nice of her," she said shortly, fiddling with a coaster on the counter just as Sylvia placed both their drinks in front of them. The witch flashed a small smile and walked away to cater to other customers.

Klaus raised his eyebrows. Caroline making small talk had over time been established as a tell for distracting him while her friends found ways to plot his downfall but her currently dodgy behavior led him to what he believed could be the only explanation. He leaned over closer to her.

"Have you been here before, Caroline?" he asked softly.

Her eyes immediately flashed to his, wide in surprise, "How did you –"

"I didn't. You just confirmed a theory I had. What's the matter? Because if you want to go somewhere else…"

"No, no, it's not a problem but yeah…" she looked at him with a small smile, "I have been here before."

It's when Klaus saw the smile on Caroline's face that he realized he had been reading her wrong.

Caroline wasn't being anxious, she was being nostalgic. And the memory was probably something that concerned him based on her hesitation in wanting to share the story with her.

"Klaus…" Caroline said softly, looking straight at him. "Do you remember the time I told you I came to New Orleans looking for you?"

Klaus let out a dry laugh. "Caroline, I doubt I'll ever forget about the one time you willingly came to me for help in my city and I wasn't able to be there for you."

Caroline laughed softly, inciting strange sensations in Klaus' undead heart. "Well," she started, "this is the very bar that I walked into all those years ago with my little ones in tow, asking about you."

Klaus' eyes widened in understanding. "Ah."

"And I'm pretty sure Sylvia here is the one who told me you'd been missing for three years and made me realize how stupid it was for me to expect you to just be there when I needed you without even calling you, checking up or anything –"

"Caroline. Caroline, stop," Klaus said, placing his hands on her shoulders, "You did the right thing, coming to me. I know I wasn't there at the time but I don't want you to ever have to think twice when it comes to asking me for help, do you understand?"

Caroline slowly nodded. "Yeah, I know," she said, giving him a soft smile that made Klaus melt.

"That being said…" Klaus slowly brought his hands down from Caroline's shoulder along her arms and took her soft palms in his, "I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you, Caroline. Honestly when you first told me about it, I was speechless; I just couldn't bear the fact that I'd finally gained enough of your trust for you to put your faith in me to help not just you but your children as well…and I just let you down."

"Seriously, Klaus? You were literally bound in chains and being held prisoner. If that isn't a good enough reason for being unavailable, I don't know what is." Caroline took a sip of her drink. "And I already told you that trusting you was never a problem," she said quietly.

Klaus smiled at her genuinely as he fondly remembered the sole part of an otherwise anxiety-filled night where Caroline in her own way admitted that he was someone she cared for much more than she had ever let on previously.

 _You weren't the villain of my story_.

Klaus saw Caroline return his smile, with a twinkle in her eyes that said she was probably remembering the same thing he was. He noticed their hands were still intertwined, secretly elated that Caroline didn't seem to mind.

Caroline cleared her throat. "So…" she began, slowly pulling out of Klaus' hold – much to his chagrin – to take another sip of her drink. "Did you talk to Hope? Is she doing okay?"

"Yes I did," he replied, grabbing his own glass and taking a swig. "Hope is strong, I couldn't be more proud of the way she's handling things," he said with pride in his voice.

"Yeah, she is pretty mature for her age. Tragedy changes people in ways one couldn't imagine but she has been quite the champion."

"I'm sure she has you, the school and dare I say Alaric, to thank for some part in that," Klaus' eyes burned into Caroline's, evoking a soft gasp out of her.

"Well," Caroline said with a cheeky grin, "If she got her stubbornness from you, I'm sure she can power her way through this." Klaus looked at her teasing face and had to remind himself – not for the first time that evening – he had decided to let her live her life without him for now. He figured perhaps this was a good time to shift the topic.

"What about your girls?" Klaus asked, "Freya tells me you both had quite the fruitful day."

"About that, please thank her again for coming out herself, she really didn't have to," Caroline said genuinely, "That was super nice of her."

They spent some time after that just talking and catching up. Caroline told Klaus about what she had been doing all this while, traveling the world in search of answers regarding the dreaded Merge. Sylvia came every now and then to make sure their glasses never went empty and after a while they simply sat together in a relaxed silence.

"What about your sire bond?" Caroline asked suddenly, idly watching her glass as she swirled around the amber liquid in it. "I know it's only been a night but do you feel any different?"

"It is a work in progress," Klaus said softly, even though he's sure no one could eavesdrop over the noise from the crowd in the club, "There seem to be some technical difficulties though."

"What difficulties?"

"Nothing, just strange things happen…afterwards."

"What do you mean?"

Klaus sighed; he really didn't want to have this conversation with her; not now while they were enjoying such a pleasant evening.

"Apparently I try to hurt myself in my sleep…"

"What!?"

"In fact Freya has decided she's going to make sure someone stays on watch-duty while I sleep till this is figured out and for some strange reason, she thinks you might be a strong candidate."

"Me? What, I –"

"Don't worry, love," Klaus stated, raising his palm in finality, "I already made it clear to her that you're not to be bothered."

"No, that's not it. Of course, I want to help you. It's just…" Caroline hesitated, "I guess it just feels a little strange to be making plans that involve spending my nights with you when I have a boyfriend waiting back at home."

"Ah right, the _human_ ," Klaus grimacing dramatically, "Who is he again?"

"Wow, Klaus. You've been a Hybrid ten minutes and you're already frowning down upon humans."

"Not all humans, just this particular one," he said, shrugging. Caroline rolled her eyes and made a quick glance at her phone.

"I should get going," Caroline said, her tone apologetic, "I know it's still pretty early but there are a few leads I have to follow up on tomorrow and I wanted to get some research in before that."

"Really? Or is it just past your little boyfriend's bedtime? Getting late for some rejuvenating phone sex?"

Caroline scoffed, "Don't pout, Klaus. It's not cute." She grabbed her purse and hopped off her bar chair while Klaus tried not to get too distracted by the way her skirt swished around her shapely legs. He moved to join her when she stopped him.

"You don't have to leave just because I am, Klaus. It's your first day out, don't you need to like, socialize or something? You know, being the supernatural celebrity that you are?" This caused Klaus to burst into laughter while Caroline continued, "In fact, I'm surprised we didn't get approached by every other person that walked into the bar. They certainly seemed to be interested in talking about you anyway."

"I'm sure they're just doing some reconnaissance to confirm it is indeed me. Once they are confident enough I'm positive I'll be getting my fair share of best wishes…or death threats depending on who it is…and I'll deal with it then. Besides, it's probably best that I leave as well anyway. You have your research while I have some painful transformations and who knows what else to look forward to."

They'd just walked outside the door and Caroline's expression suddenly changed to one of worry like she suddenly remembered about Klaus' plight every night for the near future.

"Klaus, I want to help but really I'm sorry I can't…"

"Don't even think about it, sweetheart," Klaus said, smiling sweetly at her, "My sisters can handle it and moreover I've the strange feeling Rebecca might even enjoy watching me roll on the floor and call it karma for daggering her or something of the sort." Caroline couldn't help but burst into laughter at that and Klaus joined her in the light moment together when a voice interrupted them.

"Took you long enough to step out of the bar."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops, looks like I'm back to leaving those pesky cliffhangers again. What do you think is going to happen? What are your thoughts on this chapter?  
> Pardon any weird typos because I'm SUPER sleepy at the moment and please leave reviews, you guys know I love to hear from you. Cheers!


	17. Long Term Consequences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The past comes back to haunt Klaus. Later, he takes one last chance to get clarity from Caroline on where they stand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I left the last chapter on quite the cliffhanger and I was glad to see everyone's interest in the story. Thank you! And as always, special love to those who took the time to review, they mean so much to me! Crossing 100 kudos made me super excited too!
> 
> Quite a few things happen in this chapter and I can't wait to hear what you all think. Heads up, there's some level of violence in this chapter (nothing beyond what's been seen on TVD but nevertheless I felt like I had to put the warning out there).
> 
> I'm super sleepy so pardon any weird typos and surprise words that appear in places for no reason XD
> 
> Disclaimer: TVD/TO/Legacies none of it's mine but I'm just writing my version of TO season 6 anyway.

Both Caroline and Klaus turned towards the direction of the voice to see a group of people glaring menacingly at them – three men and one woman, Klaus observed. He immediately shifted into defense mode, moving closer to Caroline.

"And who are you supposed to be?" Klaus asked in a low, dangerous voice, addressing the person who had spoken. He didn't much appreciate being interrupted while spending time with Caroline much less putting her in a dangerous situation.

The man stepped forward, not taking his eyes off Klaus. Physically he was the lankier one of the lot and looked like he was in his mid-forties. He was otherwise unremarkable with dull brown eyes and unkempt dark hair but based on his tone of voice Klaus could sense that he was in charge. His appearance did not ring any bells but the general scent of the group was unmistakable.

Werewolves. They were a pack…or at least they felt like what was just a small part of one that was much bigger; it was just something Klaus could sense from being part-wolf.

His senses also told him without a shadow of doubt that the man up front was the Alpha. He stopped a few feet in front of Klaus and spoke.

"All that matters," he drawled, "…is that you die tonight at my hands," the man responded. Klaus chuckled lightly in response.

"You'll have to get in line for that I'm afraid." He calmly clasped his hands behind his back and flashed a sarcastic grin at the Alpha. "And I have to warn you, it's going to be a long wait. You'd be surprised by the astounding number of people who want me dead." Klaus took a few steps forward, further closing the distance between him and the Alpha.

"Who are you? And don't make me ask you again," Klaus growled. He caught a flicker of fear in the man's eyes but it was gone as soon as it came.

"The name's Gus. But like I told you already, it doesn't matter."

"I only asked so I know what name to etch into your gravestone after I've killed you. It's the least I can do." Klaus sneered at him and his eyes flickered golden. He felt a soft touch on his arm; Caroline had shifted to stand beside him.

"Gravestone?" Gus' eyes widened in mock surprise. "Wow, that's mighty generous of you considering you left all my friends out in the open just scattered around the forest floor with their hearts ripped out."

Klaus narrowed his eyes, briefly picking up on the hints he was dropping and trying to piece together who these people really were. "You do realize I am who they call the Great Evil Klaus Mikaelson." He tilted his head at Gus. "You're going to have to be a _little_ more specific than that if you want me to comprehend what it is you are planning on taking revenge on me for exactly."

"You know when I heard last year that you had killed yourself, my first thought was, 'too bad I couldn't have done it for you," the Alpha commented.

"Clearly you were too slow. And fortunately for me, I am a little hard to kill," Klaus said, more confidently than he felt. His hands trembled slightly behind him and for a fleeting moment he weighed what his chances of dying in the process of un-siring himself were against a lackluster death at the hands of a random wolf.

"Actually," Gus said, taking a step closer, "…seeing you here right now, I like to think of it as fate handing me another chance to do what I couldn't get to the first time."

"Okay _nobody_ needs to die tonight; maybe we can work something out." The contrasting sound of Caroline's bright voice seemed to crack the brick wall of tension that had been building up between Klaus and Gus. The Alpha then turned his attention to her; observing her very carefully, his scrutiny of Caroline making Klaus want to pull out his eyeballs out of their sockets.

"Well hello there," the wolf's voice drawled as he shifted to step closer to Caroline instead. "The pretty one talks." Klaus immediately flashed in front of her.

"Caroline, get out of here now," he ordered her, not taking his eyes off Gus.

"What are you, crazy? And leave you with these lunatics? I don't think so."

"I'm starting to think it might be more lucrative for us to kill her first and then you, Klaus Mikaelson," Gus said smugly, now looking Caroline up and down.

"Seriously?" Caroline scoffed at Gus, who didn't have a chance to respond as Klaus had already flashed to him and strung him up by the neck against the wall of the building.

"Don't you dare touch her," Klaus growled. The others in the group immediately surrounded them, their teeth bared and ready to attack.

"Go ahead, Klaus, kill me," Gus choked out, "Kill me like you killed thirteen of my friends all those years ago in Mystic Falls." Klaus' grip wavered slightly but he didn't let go.

"The Expression Triangle." Klaus heard Caroline whisper in realization behind him but he continued to maintain his air of indifference.

"Well to be fair, they were the ones conspiring to kill me. I simply responded in kind," Klaus coolly stated. "My, you must _really_ be a slow lot if it took you this long to react to something that happened almost two decades ago," he taunted as the wolf struggled to move under Klaus' palm. Gus sneered at Klaus.

"Hayley was the one we wanted dead since she was the one who betrayed her own," Gus spoke shortly as he tried to catch his breath. "Unfortunately her ancestry led her to have strong ties within the werewolf community and we were forbidden from harming her."

Klaus felt a surge of defensiveness towards the late mother of his child and his grasp tightened, making the Alpha cough.

" _Klaus_ …" Caroline warned him and turned to Gus looking annoyed. "I don't know if you missed out on a few issues of Werewolf Weekly but Hayley died, almost a year ago. And unlike Klaus, she is resting in peace. Death sucks enough as it is and there's no need to rub your nose in it…so why are you here?"

Gus glared at Caroline but didn't speak. Klaus tightened his hold a little more.

"Answer the lady." Gus sputtered a bit under Klaus' increased pressure around his throat before he spoke.

"Hayley's death denied us our closure but Klaus was next on our list, being the one who actually carried out the act," he addressed Caroline before turning back to look at Klaus. "But we're not idiots…you said it yourself that you can't be killed. So you can imagine our disappointment when we heard that you had managed to do the deed yourself. Guess you aren't so un-killable after all." Gus tried to escape Klaus' grip but Klaus didn't budge, his eyes trained unwaveringly on the Alpha's.

"That's fascinating considering this unsolicited attack on me and my friend here just proves the contrary…you _are_ idiots," Klaus said, a self-satisfied grin spreading across his face.

"You deserve to die!" The wolf began to shake his head violently in an attempt to get out of Klaus' hold as the other assailants came closer. Klaus needed to be sure Caroline was safe. Grasping the wolf's neck even tighter as he struggled to break free, Klaus slightly turned towards her.

"Caroline, get out of here."

"I'm not leaving you," she scoffed.

"Kill me and your pretty friend here is sure to get attacked by at least one of my friends," the Alpha choked out at Klaus. Caroline looked at him in disbelief and let out a dry laugh.

"You know,' she said, crossing her arms in front of her, "I'm getting _really_ tired of your chauvinistic underestimation of me, Wolf man." Klaus chuckled at her and turned to fully face Gus again.

"Guess I'll take my chances," he smirked, his eyes glowing yellow as he proceeded to squeeze the life out of the wolf by crushing his throat.

But his hand froze.

He couldn't bring them to close around the Alpha's neck.

Klaus' eyes widened in confusion for a second and that was just enough time for Gus to pull out of his grip and throw Klaus off him.

"Klaus!" he heard Caroline's voice from what now sounded further away from him.

Klaus was up in an instant but two of the other wolves had leapt to grab him while he saw the Alpha and the female go for Caroline. He saw that Caroline's fangs had dropped and watched as one of them threw a punch at her.

Rage filled his body and his eyes went deep golden as his Hybrid fangs dropped as well. He felt a pair of arms on him but pushed them off easily while the other wolf came at him and he simply ducked out of the way. He turned to rush to Caroline's side only to see she had already thrown the one who struck her to the side and was now facing Gus, her sharp teeth bared at him.

 _She's been training_.

This wasn't the same Caroline back from when he knew her from Mystic Falls. She was faster, stronger.

More powerful than ever.

In his moment of admiration the female of the group had now come to tackle him and he instantly grabbed her shoulders to bite her in the neck.

Once again, he froze. He couldn't bring his jaw to close around her throat and she took that moment of hesitation to push him away. Klaus stumbled backwards looking awestruck.

"What kind of trickery is this?" He hissed through gritted teeth at her. The wolf looked straight at him, arrogance coming off her in waves.

"Guess you're just weak," she sneered and pounced to attack Klaus and he barely managed to dive out of the way. Almost immediately, he was tackled by the other two who were back for more and once more he felt helpless to fight back.

 _Bloody hell_ , Klaus began to get frustrated. Did they have a witch on their side that put a spell on him, rendering him weak in a fight against his attackers?

"Klaus, hang on!" He heard Caroline's voice and in an instant she had flashed towards him and broken the necks of the two wolves that had been trying to pin him back. The female immediately charged at her and jumped on Caroline's back. Caroline immediately flashed out of her jacket and whipped it to the side, taking the wolf with it. Klaus stared at her in awe and she threw him a little smile, her arms still raised in defense mode.

"We need to get out of here," she spoke with urgency in her voice and Klaus still feeling frustrated by his helpless state, simply nodded at her.

"Leaving so soon, blondie? We're just getting start –"

 _Whoosh_. Something – Klaus could have sworn it was a shoe – went flying in the air and the Alpha's head ripped straight off and bounced off the pavement, his body following as it slouched to the ground, dead. Klaus' eyes widened and he slowly turned to look at Caroline.

Standing barefoot on the footpath, Klaus could see her vampire veins still dark and pulsing beneath her dark eyes as they looked back at him. Her beautiful floral dress had not only been tattered in some parts from all the commotion but had taken on a whole new pattern from being peppered with blood spatter. Her stance was firm and her visage was still but for the swaying of her skirt in the cool night breeze that kept in rhythm with the flutter of her short blonde waves. As she stood there, holding her other shoe in hand – one that had not been used as a deadly weapon – Klaus was struck speechless.

She was glorious.

Before Klaus could continue to appreciate her form, he heard a woman scream. He turned and saw the lone surviving wolf was now up and shaking her head in disbelief at the Alpha's headless corpse lying in a pool of blood. Her panicked face spun towards them, fear in her eyes. She took one last look at them before she made a run for it, the pattering of her footsteps echoing as she disappeared into the dark alley. He idly wondered if they should have let her go when Caroline's voice came through to him.

"Come on Klaus, we need to –"

"Did you just kill the alpha of a werewolf pack with your _footwear_?" Klaus interrupted her, genuine surprise in his eyes and the blonde vampire hesitated.

Caroline looked slightly uncomfortable now that she was facing the fact that she had just killed a bunch of werewolves in cold blood but maintained a straight face. "Well I couldn't really fight in these shoes and he was talking too much, okay? Besides, I was a little short on graduation hats," she said, flaunting a humorless smile as she picked up her other shoe – which now had blood all over it – and stuffed the pair into her bag that she had tossed to the side during the fight.

Klaus had a knowing look on his face as that particular memory from when he had visited Mystic Falls for her graduation came back to him. He watched as she began to meticulously clear the three bodies away from public view into the alley next to the building. He let out a low chuckle and shook his head in wonder as she grabbed her soiled jacket off the ground and proceeded to lead him away before passersby noticed a bunch of dead bodies on the side of the street.

"You let that girl go," Klaus pointed out.

"Yeah well, unlike you, I don't really enjoy any of this," she scoffed. "If she got away then good for her."

"Smart move, actually," Klaus smirked. "I always liked to leave one survivor who could live to tell the tale; it helped ensure others didn't attempt to make the mistake of challenging my authority. If you continue at this rate Caroline, don't be surprised if you start hearing stories of the fierce new Vampire Queen of New Orleans." Caroline rolled her eyes as they rushed towards his car and came to a halt in front of it. Klaus looked at her with a hint of pride.

"You are incredible, Caroline. I hope you realize that." Caroline scoffed.

"I really hope killing someone is not what a girl has to do to get your attention. Keys please, I'm driving," she added, holding out her palm towards him. Klaus took the keys out of his pocket and tossed it at her; she caught it with ease.

"You always have my attention, love," he shrugged as she huffed out a dry laugh. "It just took me by surprise that you chose to take a life rather than –"

"They were trying to kill us!"

"I'm not complaining, sweetheart. I'm just pleased that you decided I was worthy of you getting your hands a little dirty for this time. You definitely seemed to know what you were doing."

Caroline glowered at him and unlocked the car doors. "Yeah, well I've had training. What exactly happened to _you_ out there?"

Klaus frowned as he thought back and tried to make sense of what had happened. "I'm not sure," he said, looking up at Caroline. "It was the strangest thing…no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't fight back or even cause harm to any of them in any way."

Caroline frowned and they got into his car. She smoothly pulled the vehicle out of the space and started to drive towards the Abattoir.

"I wonder if it was a wolf thing," Caroline thought out loud as she drove. "But then you never had trouble hurting werewolves before," she said, glancing pointedly at him.

"I don't understand, I just…" Klaus began, "I wanted to hurt them…and when I saw that man hit you it was the last straw, I wanted to murder him at that very moment but it was like there was this invisible force holding me back from–" Klaus stopped as realization dawned on him.

"What?" Caroline asked.

"Hope's phone call," he said turning to Caroline, "I'd spoken to her just before we stepped into the club and she told me…" Klaus shook his head as it all came together, "Well, she essentially told me not to fight or kill anyone."

"Oh my God… the sire bond…"

"…works in mysterious ways," Klaus pinched the ridge of his nose in irritation. "This is ridiculous; I need to get un-sired as soon as possible." Caroline snorted.

"You're already on a tight deadline, not to mention all the weird side effects you seem to be having. Do you really want to aggravate that further?" Caroline spoke casually but Klaus didn't miss the undertone of worry in her voice.

"I just need to get through this week and be done with it," Klaus said with finality. Caroline simply nodded, knowing that patience is not exactly a virtue of Klaus' and continued to drive. They didn't speak for a few moments until Klaus spoke up.

"I noticed you had a few new moves up your sleeve."

"Wow, I think I'm starting to understand why you really couldn't fight. You were too busy ogling me –"

"Have you really been training?" Klaus asked her, his tone genuine. Caroline sighed.

"If you must know, yes…I have been training. Maybe if you paid more attention to Hope's school curriculum you would know there's a self defense class that's mandatory for all students," she chided him. "Just because one has powers doesn't mean hand to hand combat isn't important."

"Ah."

"Hope actually has private lessons with Ric at the lake and she's _really_ good. I've heard more than enough complaints from my own daughters that he spends more time training with her than hanging out with them." A smile spread across Klaus' face on hearing that and Caroline continued.

"Those sessions actually helped Hope channel her anger and frustration in a healthier way after both Hayley and you died. She's a smart girl…mature enough to dispel all those negative feelings in a productive way and it _really_ makes me wonder…how did the apple fall _so_ far from the tree?" She glanced at Klaus with a playful laugh and Klaus couldn't resist rolling his eyes at her.

"Laugh all you want but at the end of the day she's still _my_ daughter," he said smirking, "And she continues to make me prouder every day," He turned to look out the window and Caroline simply smiled.

They drove in silence for the rest of the way till they arrived at the Abattoir. Caroline parked on the side and they stepped out, halting in front of the gate. She began to return Klaus' car keys when he shook his head.

"It's not safe right now. Take my car tonight and drive straight to your hotel."

She shrugged, "Okay."

For a moment they simply stood there. Klaus looked at Caroline, her short blonde strands and her blood stained skirt still getting caught in the light breeze while the city lights bounced off her smooth skin giving her face a beautiful glow. He would remember this for a painting later.

Without giving it another thought, he walked up to her and put his arms around her, wrapping her in a hug. Taken aback, she stiffened at first but responded almost immediately.

"Thank you, Caroline," Klaus breathed softly into her hair and broke away. He reached out and wiped a stray spot of blood on her cheek and she gasped, her lips parted in surprise. Klaus cleared his throat and nodded at her, turning to walk up to the Abattoir gate as thoughts of temptation began to run through his head.

Klaus had always taken great pride in his decision-making skills. With over a millennium of experience walking the earth, he was always unabashedly clear on what he wanted. Once he made up his mind about something, he stuck with it no matter what. What other people saw as his stubbornness, he considered to be steadfastness and sharpness of the mind.

This was precisely why his dithering thoughts when it came to Caroline was something he felt ill-equipped to understand or deal with. He had concluded months ago that he would let her go and any plan she had to be with him would be completely up to her. And yet, here he was still pondering over 'what if's and maybes like he had something to gain out of the pointless exercise. His behavior surprised him so much he went so far as to wonder if perhaps the time he spent as a human again might be partially to blame.

He wasn't oblivious; he had never denied his feelings for Caroline – feelings that were very present what with everything he had witnessed in Mary Alice's vision and most importantly, the time jump that he hadn't accounted for, leaving everything currently as fresh as ever in his mind while Caroline appeared to have long since moved on.

Klaus remembered having a better handle over his emotions the last time he was alive but now, no matter how hard he tried to push down his thoughts and memories of Caroline, they just kept floating back to the surface, his restless mind coaxing him into entertaining the idea of being with her and forgoing his resolution to set her free.

And now after spending a beautiful evening with her – albeit one with its own adventurous turn of events – he decided he needed to know; he needed some semblance of proof or incentive that he was doing right by her in letting her be.

Maybe that would put an end to all the doubts in his head once and for all.

Perhaps that would set _him_ free.

He was almost at the Abattoir entrance when he stopped to glance at her; she was standing at his car and appeared to be lost in her own thoughts as well. "Caroline!" He called out to her and she instantly turned around, a worried look on her face as she trotted back towards him. "Are you sure you don't want to stay? A change of clothes at the very least…"

"I have a jacket," she said flatly, her look of concern shifting to that of mild annoyance. "And Klaus, I already told you why it would be weird for me to stay here…"

"Do you love him? Klaus asked suddenly.

Caroline frowned, her eyebrows furrowing even deeper. "What?"

"The human," Klaus clarified, taking a step towards her. "Do you love him? Does he treat you well?"

Caroline crossed her arms and shook her head, "That's none of your business, Klaus."

"I just need to know –"

"No Klaus, that's exactly my point. You don't _need_ to know anything. My relationship with Cory has absolutely nothing to do with you!"

Klaus kept a straight face and nodded, pressing his lips together and moving still closer to her.

"Why are you here, Caroline?" he asked slowly, not caring that his voice had turned slightly bitter or that he had now stepped into her personal space. He couldn't help but notice the fleeting look of uncertainty in her eyes and the fact that she didn't appear to feel the need to keep her distance. On the contrary, she scoffed and took another step towards him like she wanted to prove she wasn't going to back down from a fight.

Their faces were now mere inches away from each other. Klaus had to make an effort not to be swayed by her essence, her scent or by the fact that he was close enough that he could really appreciate the bright blueness of her eyes…

"You _know_ why I'm here…" Her lips were twisted in anger and her tongue flicked across her lower lip. Klaus scowled at her.

"So you're saying that the fact that you stayed in the city longer than you intended to has absolutely nothing to do with me? You're saying you didn't take this as an opportunity to spend some time away from the human and see if you still care for me more than you let on –"

"How dare you –"

"I know you care for me, Caroline. I know you _still_ do," Klaus cut in. "Whether you like it or not you can't deny that –"

"Klaus, I've MOVED ON okay?" Caroline snapped at him. "I _told_ you I finally got to move on from all the drama and confusion associated with whatever I was feeling for you and lead something resembling a normal life. I am perfectly happy with the way things are."

"Normal won't be enough for you," Klaus grated out, narrowing his eyes at her as he did the last time he had pointed this out to her. "I said it before and I'll say it again if that's what it takes for you to understand." Klaus was aware that he was being insensitive but the flood gates had opened and he couldn't seem to help himself.

"Just let me BE Klaus!" Caroline said angrily, her voice rising.

"Fine!" he yelled back at her, "If I'm such a bad influence on you and your so-called _normal_ life, then let's just never make plans to meet again; perhaps that would be the easier route for both of us."

"Sounds GREAT to me!" She scoffed at him.

"Glad that's settled then." Klaus muttered and flashed towards his house, leaving Caroline stomping back towards his car.

* * *

"Bad Date?"

Klaus looked up and scowled at his sister Freya as he shifted back into human for the tenth time in a row, his body shaking.

"It wasn't a date," he growled at her as he sat on the floor to take a breather before he went through it all over again.

"I think you know what I mean, Brother," Freya said gently from behind the barred window where she sat in a chair reading through an old grimoire.

She was met with a long moment of silence. Freya was about to look up to see if Klaus had morphed into his wolf form again but he finally spoke, his voice a low whisper.

"Well I asked for absolute proof and I got it – Caroline has completely moved on and I just have to accept it like I planned to. It was ridiculous to give in to the hopes that my human side had engraved into my head in the first place." He spoke firmly but Freya could have sworn she heard a slight tremble in his voice. Her brother was accepting defeat for the sake of Caroline's happiness and Freya could do nothing about it.

"I'm sorry."

Later that night as Rebecca sat by his side while he slept, he was plagued with strange nightmares again that manifested itself so violently, he had woken up to see his sister and Marcel pinning his arms down on the bed so he wouldn't hurt himself. He went back to bed almost wishing he could remember those bad dreams when he woke, just so they'd at least have something to go on in terms of understanding what it all meant.

* * *

Caroline sat in the hotel bed after a relaxing shower, blindly surfing through the channels on the television. Ever since the drive back home she had been unable to stop rethinking the events of the night and how what was actually a lovely evening had needlessly escalated into this.

 _The nerve of the guy_. Caroline had been fuming when she left in Klaus's car.

 _And here I thought Klaus had changed. Who was I kidding_?

Maybe they really weren't meant to be together, she thought bitterly. If she had been looking for a sign, this would probably be it.

It was really late but she needed to hear Cory's voice after the long day she had. She opened her bag to dig out her phone when she spotted a small envelope with her name on it in a very familiar script tucked in there.

 _What the hell_?

Caroline carefully opened it, almost getting a sense of déjà vu from the first time Klaus had sent her an invitation to the Mikaelson Ball all those years ago. Only this time it contained a sheet of what looked like a page pulled out from a very old book with someone's handwriting filling the page.

_…and then he pronounced the act not to be a tradition but a curse whereby the dark magic within each one binds together leaving the other without a chance at life. Should one find a way to expel the very dark magic every Gemini is burdened with or bond them remotely and clear of the hosts he makes claims that this may rid of the need for a Merge..._

Caroline's breath caught. She read the page again. And again. Her eyes widened as understanding slowly dawned upon her.

This piece of paper was basically telling her that the Merge wasn't a Gemini tradition, it was actually a curse.

And the thing about curses?

They could be broken.

"Oh my God," she gasped softly, unable to believe what she was reading, cautiously ecstatic at the glimmer of hope this valuable piece of information provided her.

She was stunned. This could change everything. She flipped the page over to see if there was more but it was empty. She opened the envelope again and spotted a piece of card paper with the Mikaelson logo embossed on it and below it she saw what was unmistakably Klaus' scrawl on it.

 _Thought this might help_. _You should talk to Sylvia again._

Ugh, she groaned, setting down the paper and card in front of her. She _probably_ owed him an apology; he was only being half an ass than he usually was.

She looked at the time again. It really was late but she didn't care – she needed to apologize to Klaus before she changed her mind about it. He might be in the middle of transformations to break the sire bond but she figured she should try his number anyway.

No answer.

"Seriously?" she snapped at her phone as if it were somehow responsible for Klaus' lack of response. She hadn't really expected him to answer but she was left feeling frustrated all the same.

Barely a few months back from the dead and Klaus with his wide reach of resources had already managed to provide her with the first viable piece of information that could help her with her daughters. For a moment she wondered if she really needed to rethink her network of contacts and the way she was going about her search, despite how obsessively organized it already was.

One thing was for sure, she needed to stop pushing Klaus away on the grounds that he would just be a distraction and start focusing on the fact that he had over a thousand years of knowledge and life experience that was at her disposal; this worn out piece of paper was evidence of it. It may have seemed like a small gesture on his part but this was a huge deal for Caroline.

Damn it, she _definitely_ owed him an apology.

And this was not something she wanted to simply 'leave at the tone'. She kept her phone aside and decided she'd talk to him directly tomorrow, whether he agreed to it or not.

And with that in mind she went to bed, her plan to call Cory forgotten.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! I realized I enjoy writing action sequences (it's my favorite movie genre) so that fight scene was definitely fun to verbally choreograph.
> 
> Poor Klaus just wanted clarity and Caroline gave it to him all right...don't be sad guys, you know he's still on her mind.
> 
> I was waiting for ages for a better understanding of the whole Gemini Merge situation but two seasons into Legacies and we haven't gotten all the information yet so at this point I'm going to be taking things into my own hands and get creative with it (of course I'll be sticking to canon as much as I can irrespective, that's the fun!)
> 
> Over the course of this fic you may have noticed my style of writing is quite dialogue-heavy rather than 'painting a scene with a thousand words'. This is intentional because as is mentioned in the story summary, this is literally my version of TO S6 and how I would direct it. That being said I do like to use descriptions now and then to set a scene so I hope there are no complaints with the narrative style I've chosen - it is designed to be visualized easier in the reader's minds like the show.
> 
> Anyway, stay safe everyone. See you next week! In the meantime, reviews and thoughts please :)


	18. The Merge-y Workaround

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caroline learns about the history of the note about the Merge. News of the wolf incident at St. James reaches Hope and Klaus undergoes another painful night of turning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I mention we already passed the halfway point of this story a chapter or two ago? At least I can say that based on the layout I have for now.  
> Also, I realize I tend to break up big chapters instead of posting one big chapter, sorry if that bothers you!  
> Okay then, let's get to the actual fic, shall we? Heads up, this one is quite plotty but it's required. A lot of information coming your way.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own the TVD universe.
> 
> Additional Disclaimer: I'm super sleepy, pardon any weird words on your screen.

Leaving a tirade of voice messages and texts asking Klaus to call her back is not how Caroline had planned to spend her morning. It only took about seventeen odd unanswered calls that got her to finally accept the fact of the matter – Klaus was ignoring her and vehemently so.

Scoffing as another call went unanswered, she put away her phone and decided she should instead focus on what she could actually do something about – finding Sylvia.

Caroline wasn't too worried about the 'finding her' part of her plan – she figured she could easily walk into St. James Infirmary and catch her at work. She wasn't sure about how shifts worked in a bar that was open 24/7 for the convenience of all the supernatural creatures that frequented the joint but it seemed like the logical place to start.

She stood in front of the vintage building that was St. James Infirmary and mused at all the things the sturdy old structure must have been a spectator to in the history of the city. Why, barely twelve hours ago there had been a massacre of sorts in the adjoining alley… a massacre that she held herself responsible for.

The fact that she had killed three wolves hadn't slipped her mind as easily as she had let it appear to Klaus. He hadn't pushed her on it either but she somehow doubts Klaus was fooled by her self-confidence being that he had the annoying ability to see through her. Caroline knew it was self-defense but that didn't diminish the reality that she had taken three lives and that weighed on her.

The worst part is she hadn't even intended to kill them. She had applied aspects of her training but even the exercises at school were always focused on defense, not causing harm to opponents. It was just the sad reality that as a vampire, snapping necks now came as a knee-jerk response to putting another supernatural creature down.

Too bad the result wasn't the same for werewolves as it was for vampires; at least the latter would wake up an hour later. She couldn't believe she let herself make such a reckless mistake in the heat of the moment.

And then there was the issue of the lone survivor, another unintended outcome. As glad as Caroline was that she didn't have the girl's death to add to her conscience, the possible consequences of letting her go free made her anxious.

 _Did the girl go home and tell her pack about it? Did she return with back-up to finish her and Klaus once and for all_? Here Caroline was, back again at the scene of the crime; what if the wolf-girl and her friends were lying in wait inside to attack her?

Caroline resisted the urge to take a peek into the alley and check if the bodies she had pushed to the side still remained there. If they had been moved, she would have known if the story has broken among the supernatural community but right now, she needed to distance herself from the spot for her own safety.

She walked into the club and noticed the place wasn't as crowded as it was last night but that was expected since she was walking in during breakfast hours…well, human breakfast hours. She idly wondered if there had been any witnesses to last night's events and what the chances were that they were still hanging around.

She decided she had spent way too much time here already worrying over what could be the repercussions from last night and time was of the essence if she wanted to follow through her lead and leave as soon as she could. This is why the too-young cocky vampire who introduced himself as Ryan and was manning the counter was starting to get on her nerves when she enquired about Sylvia and he seemed to show no interest.

"Are you going to tell me where she is or not?"

The bartender simply shrugged at her and Caroline scoffed, her patience thinning. If only he was human, she could have just compelled it out of him and gone her merry way.

If Klaus was here, he could have compelled him anyway. Stupid Original perks.

 _Wait, did he even have Original perks anymore or is he just a Hybrid? Okay, not just any Hybrid more like the only Hybrid_ –

She shook the distracting thoughts off; annoyed with herself that Klaus had once again managed to sneak into the forefront of her mind. "Where can I find her?" Caroline asked, "I just want to talk." She figured if she kept her tone neutral he wouldn't see her as a threat in case he was protecting her. The bartender responded with a look that gave Caroline the feeling she was not going to like what he's going to say. He scratched his chin like he was thinking hard.

"Is that a daylight ring?" he asked suddenly, nodding at the chunky lapis lazuli band on her finger.

Caroline frowned, glancing at her hand and back at him. "Yeah, so?"

"How about this…I tell you where she is in exchange for that ring? If you're a friend of Sylvia's I'm sure she can just make you another one."

"Oh wow," Caroline scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief, "We're bargaining now? Why do you even need a –" She stopped before completing her sentence and blinked in understanding. "You don't really work here do you? You're just stuck here."

Ryan gave her a lopsided grin without denying her observation and Caroline had had enough.

This was a waste of time; some random kid at the bar was wasting her time.

"You know what? I think it's better I come back later when Sylvia's on her shift," she sniped at him, whipping away from the bar. She was nearly at the door when she heard a familiar voice.

"Caroline?"

She turned around to see Sylvia ushering Ryan away to a dark corner of the bar and waving at her to come over. Caroline frowned, slowly walking back to the bar and Sylvia looked at her apologetically.

"Nightwalkers," she explained, "Some of them are still around. The really young ones tend to party too hard at night and forget to get home in time for sunrise." Caroline raised her eyebrows at her and having felt like she had lost enough time already, got straight to the point.

"I need to speak with you," she said, reaching into her bag and pulling out the piece of paper that Klaus had given her. "I need to know more about this. Klaus told me to –"

"Whoa, keep that away," Sylvia whispered firmly. "Come into the back with me and we can talk." She threw a quick glance around the bar and went through a door behind the counter and Caroline followed her. They walked past the kitchen and into a small back room which appeared to be Sylvia's private office space. It was a little cramped and most of the space was taken up by the grand looking desk and the chair while the walls seemed to be lined with either bookshelves or locked cupboards containing what, Caroline could only speculate.

"Have a seat," Sylvia gestured at Caroline as she took her place on her chair behind the desk. "Can I get you anything? Wine? Blood?"

"Erm, no. Thank you," Caroline declined politely and placed the worn piece of paper on the desk between them. "Where did you get this?"

Sylvia looked straight at Caroline and let out a deep breath. "It's mine."

Caroline's eyes widened. "What?"

"Actually that very precious piece of paper is a page out one of my ancestors' journals. And I'd very much like it back if you're done with it."

"Oh," Caroline faltered, immediately straightening out the piece of paper gently. In all the excitement of noting the text, she'd overlooked the actual piece of paper itself and the value it could hold. Having read it enough times that she had the scribbled lines memorized anyway; she supposed it was only fair she gave it back to Sylvia, considering it belonged to her.

Only now truly understanding its seemingly high value to the witch, Caroline wondered for a brief moment how Klaus had convinced Sylvia to part with it in the first place.

"How is this yours? How are you connected to the Gemini coven?" Caroline asked. "You're not…"

"I'm not some long lost surviving member of the coven, if that's what you're thinking," Sylvia said, letting out a short laugh. "No, that entire line's been wiped out – well, apart from your girls and that one crazy guy locked up in a prison world." Caroline listened, not even bothering to question how Sylvia had this information. "We have our own circle. Besides the Gemini coven was not exactly the most inclusive kind; you pretty much had to be born into it to be a part."

Caroline snorted. "Yeah, describing them as rigid would be an understatement. Clearly someone thought it was okay to pit the Coven's oldest twins against each other like freaking gladiators just so they could pick a leader and they followed the stupid practice almost religiously, no questions asked."

"Didn't you ever wonder why that is? That they continued to follow such a grim tradition despite the fact that it meant losing another member of their community? Like you pointed out yourself, almost religiously?"

"Well, apparently not having a surviving leader meant that the rest of the coven would die and I doubt anyone wanted to test that theory at the time so they had to do it. It's almost…" Caroline thought for a moment and looked up straight at Sylvia, "…like they didn't have a choice…"

"And that is exactly what this journal entry proves," Sylvia said, pointing and reading out a line in the page. "… _he pronounced the act not to be a tradition but a curse_ …that's the key right there."

Caroline frowned in thought. This wasn't news to her, it was the same inference she had made when she had first read the lines on the page. What she really needed confirmation on now was something else entirely.

She needed to know if the words had any truth to them. If there was any hope of taking the first real steps towards dealing with the Merge she had to be sure this information had come from a reliable source. Caroline cleared her throat.

"Sylvia, you still haven't told me how you're connected to all this," Caroline started. "I mean, who's journal is this and how did you end up with it? Who is the 'he' that's being referred to in this passage? I need to know because right now, to me this is just a handwritten note that's giving me something dangerously close to hope that there might actually be a way to save both my girls from the impending Merge."

"I understand," Sylvia nodded at her and stood up. "I'm going to tell you everything but let me get you a drink first."

"I already told you, I don't –"

"Trust me, you want the answers to all your questions then you're going to be here a while. I'm just going to assign someone to handle things up front and I'll be back." And with that she stepped out of the room, leaving Caroline to wonder about what exactly she was going to hear.

* * *

Klaus groaned as he sat up from his bed. His second night of turning and the aching aftermath didn't seem to be going away. After Freya's examination the first time it happened, they had concluded it was probably a reaction to his body going through so many rapid changes within such a short span of time. It had only been two days since he started turning but instead of getting stronger, it felt like the pain was getting worse.

Perhaps he needed to give it more time, he thought. His Hybrid eyes blinked at the bright sunshine flowing into the room and he guessed it must be around noon.

"I never thought I'd get to see Klaus Mikaelson look like he'll need to take a sick day."

Klaus looked across the room to see Marcel sitting on the edge of chair. He had a slight smile on his face but his creased eyebrows betrayed a hint of worry. Klaus chuckled.

"Feeling nostalgic for the time you had me chained up for five years with a dagger in my chest?" he taunted making Marcel narrow his eyes at him, "Or just reveling in the chance to play the very human role of the son sitting at his old man's deathbed as he slowly edges closer to his demise from a long-suffering disease?"

"You're not dying, Klaus."

"Well, I certainly don't feel like I'm getting any better," he growled, his body feeling stiff and his chest heavy.

"Here," Marcel said, tossing a blood bag at Klaus. "Maybe this will help."

"Well, now I'm genuinely feeling a sense of déjà vu, aren't you?" Klaus smirked, "I'm only relieved you aren't rationing the blood this time." Marcel didn't respond, quietly watching as he drained the bag and tossed it to the side. Feeling slightly better, Klaus then realized something. "Where's Rebekah, thought it was her _shift._ "

"She was here until a while ago; she needed a break."

"I see, tending to her ailing brother not entertaining enough for my dear sister, is it?"

"She just couldn't bear to see you like this."

"And I suppose you must be relishing it."

"Better me than her," Marcel said quietly.

"Touché," Klaus agreed, absently scratching at his chest and looking out the window. They didn't speak for a few minutes until Marcel spoke up.

"Did something happen last night?" Klaus turned away from the view to face a curious looking Marcel and raised an eyebrow.

"You might have to be a little more specific, Marcellus," Klaus said, smirking. "Last night was…quite eventful."

"Three bodies were found in the alley next to St. James Infirmary, the very place that you and Caroline happened to visit last night. Three wolves from the same pack. Do you happen to know anything about that?"

"Simply old acquaintances holding a grudge. They only have themselves to blame for standing on the war path of an angry blonde vampire."

" _Caroline_ did this?"

"You should have seen her, Marcel, she was glorious," Klaus spoke with pride in his eyes as Marcel looked at him incredulously. "I would have spared her from having to do the deed hadn't I been held back by an inconvenient sire-bond induced handicap with regards to fighting those wolves."

"Only you could be this turned on by your girlfriend spilling blood," Marcel said, shaking his head unable to resist a tiny smile. "And what do you mean sire-bond induced handicap?"

"No matter, the situation is wrapped up for now. A wolf girl escaped but I doubt she'll be worth any trouble. We'll deal with any fall out when we have to." After a moment lost in thought, he turned to Marcel. "I need to speak to Freya. Where's my phone?" Marcel looked at Klaus, disbelief on his face.

"Your phone's with me," he said flatly, fishing the phone out of his jacket pocket, "But I gotta say Klaus, I don't think the _situation_ is wrapped up just yet." Klaus raised his eyebrows.

"What are you on about Marcel, spit it out."

"Your phone had fallen under your bed after your nightmares had you thrashing about last night. The only reason I even found it was because of it going off all morning from what I later found out were Caroline's repeated calls." He waved the screen in Klaus' face. "Clearly, there's a problem."

That's when last night fully came back to him, how it had started one of the most pleasant evenings he had the pleasure of enjoying since he came back to life and how things had taken a bad turn. Based on his last conversation with Caroline, he didn't think she would want to speak to him again anytime in the near future.

Unless she had found the little surprise he had left for her in her bag. Klaus shrugged at Marcel, feigning indifference.

"If Caroline called, it isn't about the dead wolves. You see, we had a bit of a falling out last night… well, more of a tough conversation really. Strong words were exchanged; things that needed to be said were said and it was mutually decided that there was nothing more to talk about between us. If she seems to be bent on breaking that rule, far be it from me to let that happen; you know, for the sake of our mutual decision." Marcel looked at him strangely as Klaus took his phone and began to scroll through it.

"Hope had called too, to say hi. I told her you'd call her back when you woke up." Klaus simply nodded and Marcel stood up. "I'll get Freya," he said, flashing out of the room, leaving Klaus to stare at his phone screen filled with notifications from Caroline. His finger hovered over the 'Delete' button for two seconds too long.

Moving on from Caroline was not going to be easy. But if she was truly being honest yesterday, he owed it to her to try, for both their sakes.

He sighed, cleared his phone's notifications and dialed Hope.

* * *

"So this is _not_ a page out of your family's books. It's from a journal that belonged to another witch Marissa who was a friend to one of your ancestors, the witch named Iris?" It was almost noon and Caroline was trying to piece everything together out loud as Sylvia went along narrating the story of how that single piece of paper ended up in her hands.

"Yes," Sylvia clarified. "Marissa began writing in her journal soon after she was finally admitted into the Gemini coven, a very rare occurrence by itself. She continued to maintain limited contact with Iris even after that. The story goes that she's the only outsider to ever have been made an exception to the Geminis' rule of keeping relations within the coven and this was mostly because a man named William from the coven was madly in love with her and he had managed to convince the leader at the time to let her in."

"Just that tiny part of the story and I have so many questions," Caroline exclaimed, shaking her head.

"It gets weirder," Sylvia warned, "A couple of years after Marissa was taken into the coven, she actually died…under very mysterious circumstances."

"Oh my God, do you think she was…" Caroline gasped. "Did William…?"

"Actually that man's love for her is probably the one sure thing in this story," Sylvia said, feeling the paper in her hands, "Apparently after Marissa's death, he was the one who tracked down my ancestor and handed her a box full of Marissa's possessions… all that remained of it anyway. This page was a part of it, although the fact that the rest of the book wasn't in there was a glaring question."

Caroline huffed, shaking her head. "This sounds like a cover-up."

"Spoken like a true sheriff's daughter," Sylvia said with a small smile and Caroline once more ignored the urge to ruminate over how Sylvia may have known that. "My family thought so too; they believed that Marissa had found holes in the Merge story and had wanted to go public with it in the hopes of preventing anymore unnecessary deaths. They even confronted the Gemini coven at some point."

"But why was Marissa, a regular witch, so invested in the Merge? She was accepted into the Gemini coven, happy and in love with William…what else could she…" Realization dawned on Caroline. "William was a twin."

"Yes, he was," Sylvia said sadly. "The day after he gave Marissa's box to Iris, word spread that a Merge had taken place bringing a forth a new leader in the Gemini coven. William didn't survive."

The story made Caroline's heart feel heavy, more so because it made her think of her daughters and how they would one day be in that position. Just thinking about what would happen if she wasn't able to save them made her feel like she was choking. "Why didn't they listen to her?" Caroline's voice croaked. "Shouldn't the Gemini coven have been happy that Marissa found a way to get rid of that terrible tradition?"

"You said it yourself, Caroline. They were a rigid bunch of people – they truly believed they had to keep following the ritual in order to maintain the balance in nature, especially since the off chance that they were wrong in believing Marissa meant the entire Coven would die altogether. My coven believes she was killed to keep her from going public with the truth."

"Wha– that's insane!" Caroline exclaimed. "Why haven't I come across this story in any of my research so far? I've met so many people and spoken to so many supernatural creatures and they could barely provide anything more than what I already knew. How do _you_ know these things? Is there a book I should be reading?" Sylvia shook her head.

"Strictly word of mouth, these are just some of the stories passed down for generations within our family and the coven," she said solemnly. "My family also believes that around the time of Marissa's death there was a spell cast worldwide that would prevent anyone from reading anything that exposed the truth of the Merge; this probably explains why you haven't had too much success so far."

"World wide? But that's –"

"That sounds impossible but you should know better than anyone what the signature spell of the Gemini Coven is, Caroline."

Caroline blinked in understanding and it suddenly seemed less impossible. "Cloaking spells."

"That's right. So you'd have all your general information available to everyone but the things alluding to the Merge being a curse were magically invisible to people's eyes. William probably had something to do with this page here being the only thing that bypassed such a powerful spell."

"Wow." Caroline drained the rest of the bourbon from her glass and ran her fingers through her hair. "That's a lot of information to process." Sylvia nodded and Caroline looked back with a frown. "Did anyone ever try to break the curse… or the cloaking spell for that matter?" she asked hopefully.

"Why would they? No one kept any ties with the Gemini Coven considering they kept to themselves. And if they didn't care about the curse, none of the other covens had any reason to be bothered by it." Sylvia looked at Caroline pointedly, "As for the cloaking spell, never mind breaking it I didn't even have any reason to talk about it with anyone until Klaus mentioned the reason you were in town when we were catching up. You got lucky."

Caroline gave a small smile and glanced at her phone. "I should go," she said with a sigh. "I appreciate you taking the time and telling me all this, Sylvia. Seriously, thank you."

"You should be thanking Klaus Mikaelson, I don't give away something so valuable to just anybody."

"I'd been meaning to ask, how did he convince you to do that? And how is it that you seem to know so much about me when I barely know anything about you?" Sylvia smiled at her.

"I've known Klaus Mikaelson a long time, Caroline. I've seen many people come and go in his life and sometimes he likes to talk about them when spending time here at the bar, you know, collecting info."

"Yeah he mentioned you were something of an informer to him."

"Oh honey, I'm much more than that." Caroline knew Sylvia was talking about her value in strategic terms but couldn't a strange unpleasant tingle from within when she wondered if it was beyond that. "I'm sure you know how he feels about witches – apart from his sister and daughter of course – but surprisingly he placed his trust in me and I occasionally ended up being a confidante."

"Klaus _trusted_ someone? Wow, that's new." Sylvia laughed at Caroline's comment.

"In hindsight, it was probably the fact that he couldn't compel me to not spread his secrets that kept things exciting. Either that or he thought he could just kill me anytime he felt I stepped out of line." Caroline rolled her eyes, imagining Klaus was totally capable of doing something like that. "Klaus Mikaelson spoke about many things; he had a millennium worth of stories to tell and I was curious to listen. But when he spoke about you, Caroline Forbes, it was something else." Caroline's eyes shot up to meet Sylvia's. "You do realize he's always been in love with you, right?"

Caroline swallowed and felt something warm inside upon hearing that but didn't respond. She simply smiled, stood up and picked up her things. "Thanks again for everything." Sylvia took the hint and didn't push the topic any further.

"I hope you find what you're looking for."

"I hope so too, for my children's sake." Caroline stepped out of the office and made a beeline for the exit before any of the other patrons noticed. Once outside she saw the streets of New Orleans were just starting to fill up with the evening tourist crowd. As if on cue, she dialed Klaus once more in the hopes that he may have awoken and calmed down enough to answer her call.

Straight to voicemail again. Caroline had just about had it with Klaus' sulking but being the ever resilient one she wasn't going to let a few unanswered calls and texts stop her. She dialed again, a new number this time and the person on the other end answered on the first ring.

"Hello?"

"Freya, it's Caroline. Where the HELL is Klaus?"

"He's home. Why, what's wrong?" Sensing the worry in Freya's voice, Caroline suddenly felt embarrassed about making a fuss.

"Nothing, I just…" Speechless Caroline was not something that occurred often but she figured the best she could make of the situation was shift the focus to something else. "How was last night for him? Is he any better today?"

"It was pretty bad," Freya's tired voice came from other end of the line. "His nightmares are making him more dangerous to himself and those around him; I'm not even allowed to take the night shift anymore," she added, alluding to her pregnant state. She paused a moment before asking, "Are you okay?"

"Who, me? Yeah, why would –"

"When Klaus got home last night, it looked like something had gone down between you two…I don't want to pry, I just wanted to know if things are okay." Caroline sighed, letting out a short laugh.

"At the risk of sounding all too much like the seventeen year old that my body is cursed to look like for the rest of my life, I just want to say HE started it." Caroline could hear Freya's light chuckle and continued, shaking her head, "But I didn't make things any better either. Not to mention he had to go ahead and turn out to be the most helpful ass on the planet when I was just pissed at him –"

"What are you talking about?"

"Klaus gave me a lead about the Gemini coven that might actually save my girls," Caroline explained.

"Really?" Freya sounded surprised. "When did this happen?"

"Last night."

"I see."

"As much as I hate to admit it, I owe him an apology and a huge Thank you. But the proud wolf won't answer my calls so…you think it will be okay if I took the night-shift tonight? It's literally the least I can do to help him out."

"Yeah, that would be great," came her response and Caroline could hear the smile in Freya's voice. She couldn't help a smile growing on her own face when she whispered into the phone.

"Don't tell him that I'm dropping by."

* * *

Hope stared at her phone screen and read the text from Jake for the third time.

J: Wolves found dead at St. James last night. Wasn't your dad there?

She wasn't sure what to make of the text – whether he was just informing her or if he was wondering if her father had something to do with the deaths. Either way she wasn't sure if there was a response that didn't involve her getting angry.

Hope had spent all day busy with her school work and away from her phone, except for when her father had returned her call from that morning. Funny, she thought, he had conveniently failed to mention any such incident when talking to her about last night. She had half a mind to call him back and yell at him but she knew it would pointless to attempt contacting him now – this time of night he would be in the basement wolfing out.

She decided not to respond to Jake's message until she heard what her father had to say when she called to confront him about it tomorrow.

* * *

Klaus tugged at his shackles and let out another blood-curdling roar as he shifted back into his human form for what felt like the hundredth time to him. He could never really be sure in his animalistic state and usually had Freya or whoever was on the other side of the door keeping track for him.

Just as he was about to turn again his Hybrid ears picked up a murmur of hushed voices in conversation. He assumed it was Rebekah or Marcel dropping by to keep Freya company and turned to look through the bars in the small window. Sure enough he could see Freya's blonde head nodding at someone… another blonde that had to be Rebekah.

Except it wasn't. Even in his wolf stupor, he would recognize that golden head of hair anywhere.

Caroline.

But there was no way she could be here – no after the last conversation that had last night. He was clearly hallucinating; his mind conjuring images that he wanted to see in an effort to abate the pain and weakness vibrating through his body. If he was so far gone, he figured it would be wise to stop for today.

"Freya!" he called out so she could come let him out of his chains. He was grabbing his sheet and draping it around his waist when the doors swung open and a very furious blonde who was definitely not his sister, stomped right in.

"Why the HELL have you been dodging my calls all day? We have fought many times before, Klaus, but I didn't think you were the type to _ghost_ me –"

"What the bloody hell are you doing here? I thought I told you not to come see me."

Hearing those words from Klaus hurt for reasons Caroline couldn't explain. "You weren't responding so I came to check up on you," she said, her voice softer now. Klaus sat cross-legged with nothing but the blanket on him and spread his shackled arms out.

"Well, as you see I'm perfectly fine; so off you go." Caroline narrowed her eyes and kneeled down next to him.

"Since I'm here anyway I might as well stick around to the end of this horror show," she muttered and moved to take off his chains. Klaus snatched his hands back.

"Don't. I can do a few more turns."

"You were yelling for Freya to take your chains off literally two minutes ago."

"That's when I thought I was _hallucinating_ seeing you here after I specifically told you to stay away!" he shouted. Caroline stood up and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Then you're lucky I don't give up that easily." She stepped away from him and flashed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. "I'll be right here, just let me know when you're done." Klaus could hear the rustling of fabric indicating she had seated herself on the floor against the door.

He wanted to argue but the harsh reality was that he was simply too tired. Hoping Caroline would take his lack of response as an affirmation to the arrangement, he began to turn once more.

A little over an hour later, just as he was about to go into his final transformation for the night, he heard Caroline shift about outside the door. He wasn't alarmed by it, simply surprised considering she had been still and quiet all this while, which Klaus thought was a new record for the bubbly Caroline Forbes. He figured the least he could do was offer conversation every now and then.

That was definitely a more plausible reason than the fact that he liked the sound of her voice and hoped it would provide some reprieve from the painful situation he was in.

"Everything alright, love?" he asked, his voice shaking slightly from the toll his body has taken all night. He heard her move around some more, but she didn't bring her face to the window.

"I just realized I never thanked you." A tiny smirk came on Klaus' face as he knew that she was referring to the page he had left for her in her bag that night at Rousseau's. However, he enjoyed teasing her simply for the fact that he found angry Caroline incredibly sexy with all that passion she would exude through her eyes and her actions… and even though he couldn't see her he couldn't help himself.

"For what, sweetheart?" He asked innocently and heard her scoff as clear as day.

"You know very well, for what." She paused for a moment. "Thank you, Klaus," she said genuinely. "You might just have saved my children."

"You know my services are always available to you Caroline. It just amazes me how you don't really take enough advantage of the fact…"

"Well maybe I didn't WANT to be _serviced_ by you," Caroline bit back, her eyes widening immediately as she realized her words came out sounding wrong. She could feel her cheeks burn up and was suddenly glad that Original Hybrids didn't have x-ray vision to see her bewildered expression through the cell door. "I didn't mean…"

"Someone needs to get their mind out of the gutter," Klaus teased, chuckling. "If my naked form is forcing you to have wicked thoughts about me you might want to rethink your role here, sweetheart. I only want to help."

"Klaus just take my thank you and keep it, okay?"she said shortly. She could hear Klaus trying to muffle his laughter.

"Very well, I'm just going to take a little break before my last turn," he said, groaning as he sat on the floor with his blanket. "So if there's anything else you'd like to tell or ask me, now would be the time." He shut his eyes and took a few deep breaths, trying to relax his body before he had to break his bones all over again.

"Klaus?"

"Mmm?"

"Who's Camille?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooh, that's really the question to ask isn't it? Looks like Caroline's curiosity finally got the better of her :)
> 
> As I mentioned in the earlier chapter's notes, I will be taking some liberties in terms of setting up the base for the Gemini & Merge story line since it hasn't been covered on Legacies in that much detail yet. As always, I've stuck to canon as far as possible but I hope you guys like what I did with it anyway and that it makes sense.
> 
> Thoughts about the Gemini history? Theories about how Klaus will tackle the Cami topic? Doubts about whether Jake is accusing Klaus or just worried about Hope? I'm up for anything, I just love hearing from you guys!


	19. Dream a little Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Klaus opens up to Caroline about Camille and finally learns what his dreams are about. Hope worries about her dad and confronts him about what happened that night at St. James Infirmary.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's true, I'm over TWO DAYS LATE with my chapter update. Nope, you guys aren't mistaken. Everything from work projects, personal projects (I just started a new comic series about the life of a Fanfic writer as part of Fanfiction Writer Appreciation Week, among other things), a birthday which involved baking, a close friend leaving the country for good, a stretch of time with no internet and a couple of my first socially distant gatherings with friends led to where I am today. C'est la vie!
> 
> As always, LOVE to everyone who commented and engaged on the last chapter. I'm super excited to see some new readers who got to read the entire story so far at a stretch! Thank you, thank you, thank you! You guys keep me going :)
> 
> Okay, I'm going to shut up now because yes, I am aware I left on quite the cliff-hanger last week. This was definitely one of the harder chapters to edit and lot of heart went into it and I hope you guys see and appreciate it as you read it.
> 
> Disclaimer: TVD, not mine. None of it.

There was moment of pause before Klaus responded to what Caroline thought was a pretty straightforward question about someone who's existence had only piqued her curiosity.

"My, my Caroline," his voice drawled and she could have sworn she could _hear_ the Cheshire grin spreading across his face. "How long have you been sitting on that question?"

"Two days, at the very least," she chirped back at him matter-of-factly from behind the door, at which he laughed. "What, you can be nosy about Cory but I can't ask about _your_ love interests?"

"She was more than that," he snapped, his voice suddenly turning hard and taking Caroline by surprise. She had clearly hit a nerve and the abrupt shift in Klaus' demeanor confirmed Caroline's suspicions that there was definitely something deeper there.

In that instant, she was hit by a tinge of guilt and questioned bringing up the subject of Camille in the first place. She didn't know the whole story after all, apart from the snapshot view provided to her by Cami's brother Declan who probably couldn't be relied on to be the most unbiased observer in this particular case. She chewed on her lower lip, her tone apologetic as she spoke.

"I'm sorry, Klaus, I didn't mean it like that," Caroline said sheepishly. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." Her words were met with silence but she didn't press for a response.

Almost half an hour passed by with no exchange, the two of them on either sides of the heavy door absorbed in their own thoughts. Caroline's mind fluttered between her children and the story of the Merge while the stillness on Klaus' side told her that he was probably still resting and healing before getting prepared to change again.

"She was special."

Caroline's ears perked up when Klaus spoke. His voice was ruefully soft but it was deafening against the silence that had built up between them. She got up off her jacket that she had spread out on the floor to sit on and scrambled to her feet that were now stiff from being still for so long. She dusted off the back of her blouse and hesitantly looked through the barred window.

Klaus was sitting cross legged on the floor fiddling with the ends of his blanket spread across his lap. He raised his head and looked at her intently through the bars. "Camille was a strong, fierce and intelligent woman I knew," he said simply and Caroline blinked at him.

"Sounds like your type," she muttered under her breath, mildly surprised by the unintended trace of bitterness in her own voice.

"She was a good listener. Granted at first she was compelled to listen to me talk so that probably doesn't count." Klaus let out a low chuckle but Caroline could have sworn she caught a glance of something close to regret in his eyes. "She was smart in her own way and relentless in her pursuit to figure things out when she couldn't understand them. Needless to say all that compulsion I had used on her and the eventual breaking of it backfired."

At this point, Klaus sent at careful glance Caroline's way and she frowned. She knew he was well aware of her thoughts on compulsion and simply pursed her lips together, looking to him to continue.

"Everything I did to keep Camille aloof simply became another reason for her to push back harder, even if she was at times oblivious to the gravity of the supernatural war that was raging around her. Truth be told, my interactions with her only arose from the need to keep Marcel distracted as I strove to take my city back from under him. Over time, I didn't even realize it had grown into something more. She cared for Hope as well when she was just an infant during the time we had to keep her hidden." Klaus sighed, looking away from her.

A fleeting moment of insecurity brought to Caroline's attention that Camille was obviously someone who Klaus thought could be trusted with the privileged information that his child had survived when everyone else thought the baby had died in the witches' sacrifice.

He hadn't told _her_.

She instantly berated herself for the thought; she had absolutely no right to expect that from him, more so since she was the one who had turned him away and she was busy with her own kids at the time anyway. She shook off the nagging thought and continued to listen to Klaus.

"Camille ended up being another victim of my darkness. Having been dragged into the supernatural world caused her to turn into someone I couldn't recognize… Evidently, vampirism doesn't suit everyone," he said, flashing another knowing glance at Caroline before letting out a deep breath. "She died because of me."

"Klaus…" Caroline tilted her head, looking at him sadly. "Did you turn her?"

"No, but the circumstances under which she was turned, led to a series of events that eventually resulted in her death." Klaus grated his teeth. "And _that_ is something which occurred solely on the basis of the fact that she cared for me."

"That's… terrible," Caroline whispered, her eyes turning sympathetic. "I'm so sorry, Klaus." She watched as he tugged his blanket closer to his body and shook his head.

"I loved her," he said quietly.

Caroline swallowed; trying not to be affected by Klaus' hushed declaration but couldn't stop herself.

"There was a time you loved me too, why was this any different?" As soon as the words came out of her mouth, she regretted it for how petty they sounded even though she was genuinely being curious.

 _Ugh_. Her inquisitiveness could be such a pain sometimes. Klaus, however, didn't seem to be bothered by her question.

"I suppose…" he said looking up at Caroline with a sad smile, "…it was nice to be loved back."

Caroline gasped softly, her eyes squeezing shut from the painful honesty in his words.

Damn, she deserved that. Klaus' candor tugged at her from the inside, leaving her momentarily speechless. As she stood there searching for the right words to say, she heard his rumbling growl and saw he had begun to shift into his wolf form again. She resignedly stepped away from the window and slid her back down along the door till she was sitting on the floor, unable to calm the racing of her undead heart.

* * *

Hope tossed and turned in bed, trying to relax. She kept her eyes shut tight in the hopes that it would help her fall asleep but her mind was anything but still.

Her thoughts kept going back to Jake's text. She couldn't help but wonder who the dead werewolves were and who was responsible for killing them.

Normally, she liked to distance herself from all the supernatural drama that occurred in New Orleans and her family wholeheartedly supported her wish to do so. The city had more than its fair share of excitement to begin with and getting involved in that was a black hole there was no getting out of. Besides, she had more than enough on her plate here in Mystic Falls with school assignments and training.

But this seemed like too much of a coincidence – the first time that her father happened to step out and there was suddenly a trail of bodies in his vicinity. She badly wanted to believe that her dad's first act as a newly born Hybrid wouldn't be to go on a killing spree but a small, albeit guilty, part of her wasn't sure what to think. There were just too many unknown factors involved in his return and no one seemed to be all too clear on how he may have been affected – not just physically but mentally too.

Marcel hadn't mentioned anything to her either and Hope trusted him not to keep secrets from her, well as much as she could trust anyone. But she supposed it's possible he really didn't know about the incident at the time she had spoken to him.

And then there was Jake – after days of chatting up a storm he had gone radio silent on her for almost two days… until that one text message. Considering their friendship was relatively new, she didn't want to jump to any weird conclusions but it was hard not to wonder whether there was a connection. She decided she would track him down and have that conversation face to face.

Hope sighed. She was tempted to try calling her father again but reminded herself she had another long day at school to look forward to tomorrow and needed to be well rested.

 _Wow, Mom would have been really proud that I have my priorities sorted_. Hope couldn't help but smile, the image of her mother beaming at her gently lulling her to sleep.

* * *

"Not going to tuck me in, sweetheart?" Klaus was in his bed smirking at Caroline as she tossed a fresh blanket at him. He was freshly showered after that night's quota of turning and Caroline was trying not to be overwhelmed by the scent of him that she felt now filled the entire room, the very room in which she was supposed to spend the next few hours watching him sleep.

 _Come on Caroline, just get through the next few hours without giving in to any weird urges and you can get your well-deserved breath of fresh air after_. She shook her head at the dimple show that Klaus was giving her right now and tried not to think about how she wanted to reach out and run her fingers over them.

 _Stupid weird urges. Forget fresh air, she'll probably need a cold shower_.

"You seem to be feeling better already," Caroline looked at Klaus pointedly, raising an eyebrow. She gestured at a chair across the room. "I'm going to be sitting over _there_ and making sure you don't kill yourself so if you need anything…"

"You can sit closer you know; I don't bite."

"Actually, we _don't_ know that. And that's exactly why I'm here. Freya said you had nightmares last night too. Hopefully tonight will be less violent. Just close your eyes and go to sleep already!"

"Why Caroline, I like it when you take control like that."

"Oh my God, Klaus!" she groaned, trying her best to keep a stern face and reprimand him but barely able to resist the smile on her face from his relentless attempts to flirt with her. "Just…" she scuttled to his side and adjusted his blanket, almost jumping when her fingers brushed his bare chest as she did so. "Get some rest," she chided him. _Ugh, why do you have to sleep without a shirt, again?_

"I didn't see the point if I was going to end up tearing it apart anyway," Klaus spoke with a glint in his eye and Caroline's face turned scarlet with mortification as she realized she had said that last part out loud. She opened her mouth to protest but thought better of it and moved to step away from the bed, when Klaus suddenly grabbed her elbow.

"Thank you for being here, Caroline," he said softly, his eyes not budging from hers. "I know it was something you were uncomfortable with owing to any awkwardness it might create between you and… your human. I just…" Klaus sighed. "After last night I think I got the absolute clarity I needed on where we stand and I will respect that so I just need you to know you have nothing to be uneasy about." Caroline felt the warmth from her face slowly extend to her arm but simply looked back at him with a hasty smile.

"Yeah, sure," she said, gently pulling away and proceeding to make herself comfortable in her chair. "Good night, Klaus," she muttered, her face already hidden from Klaus' view in a book.

"I'll see you in the morning, love."

* * *

_Klaus' breath was coming out in short, heavy, bursts as he dashed through the forest as fast as he could. It was getting dark and all he could see were the trees that brushed past him as he kept moving through the woods like he was running for his life._

_He couldn't explain it but the whole scenario felt familiar to him. Maybe it was all those years of running from Mikael that were coming back to him in traumatic flashbacks. Choosing not to dwell on that thought, he kept pushing forward, only coming to halt when he arrived at a clearing that had opened up before him._

_He spotted an old house, recognized it even._

_The Old Witch House… if he remembered correctly it was built on the land where all those witches had been brutally burned to death in Mystic Falls so long ago. This was the same place where Stefan had kept his family coffins hostage while trying to get him to rid the town of his Hybrids._

_Why was he here? And more importantly, how did he even get here?_

_He walked into the house and a torrent of whispers surged in the air, the spirits of a hundred dead witches agitated by the presence of a Hybrid creature intruding upon their resting place. Klaus mentally prepared himself for an onslaught of pain inflicted by them but was surprised to be met with a familiar voice._

_Klaus…_

_The sound was but a whisper that seemed to echo across the house. Where was it coming from? Was one of the witches trying to reach out to him?_

_Klaus…_

_The whisper got slightly more prominent to his ears, the tone progressing into one that sounded almost like music to his ears._

_It was beautiful._

"Klaus."

Klaus' eyes jerked open as he felt a soft touch on his arm and was met with a pair of very concerned, blue eyes. "Caroline?"

"You were shaking."

Klaus blinked at her and slowly sat up, his body still sore from last night. "What time is it?" he asked, attempting to stretch.

"It's pretty early, but you actually managed a few hours of uninterrupted sleep. That's progress." Caroline spoke to him in a tone that was cautiously optimistic. She looked exhausted, the deep red of her floral blouse making her skin appear paler than it was.

And yet Klaus thought she looked as beautiful as ever.

"I…I remember," he said, looking straight at Caroline, her eyebrows furrowing as her look of worry turned to curiosity.

"What?"

"I remember the dream," Klaus clarified. "The past few nights it's purely been nightmares with no memory of what I saw after I woke up. But now I remember… at least more than I've been able to recollect before." Caroline raised her eyebrows.

"Oh," she said, frowning. "Okay so… I'll get Freya, you can tell her about it and maybe she'll know what to make of it and I was leaving now anyway so –" Caroline stopped when Klaus grabbed her wrist as she started to walk away from the bed.

"Don't go." Klaus looked at her almost pleadingly and Caroline hated that his wolf puppy dog eyes made her want to melt into a puddle.

 _This is exactly why you need to leave, Caroline_.

"Klaus, Freya will know what to do. My being here is not helpful to you in anyway right now."

"Caroline, I just got my first few hours of relatively undisturbed sleep while you were here so you'll have to pardon my slight apprehension in letting you go so easily." His hold on her wrist softened and shifted to her fingers as he gently ran his thumb over the back of her palm.

Caroline hated herself for wanting him to keep doing that.

She hated that she didn't want to immediately swat his hand away, even as he slipped his fingers between hers.

She hated that she didn't have the heart to turn him down at the moment.

"Fine," she agreed, dropping herself on the edge of the bed by his side. "I'll sit right here just a little longer but you've to promise me you'll get some more rest."

Klaus sent a dimpled smile her way as he slowly shut his eyes. "I promise."

Their hands were still intertwined.

Soon enough, Klaus had drifted into what seemed like a peaceful sleep. Caroline had begrudgingly let go of his hand and flashed out of the room.

She needed to get away from there, if only for a moment.

Away from him.

Away from that space which felt so saturated – albeit wonderfully so – with the feel of him. Caroline idly wondered if this was what Klaus was referring to when he talked about her essence hovering over him and haranguing him.

_I just need a break._

_I'll be fine._

_He needs my help and it's not like I'm going to fall back in love with him or_ _anything._

_I have a wonderful life and I'm not going to take that for granted or act upon anything that might tarnish that._

_He said so himself, I have nothing to be weird about around him._

She marched into the Abattoir's dining area to find Freya and Keelin sitting with their breakfast. "Freya, Keelin, hi."

"Caroline, is everything okay? Is Klaus alright?" Freya started, the concern for her brother evident on her face.

"He's fine. He's actually managed to get some sleep so I let him be. You should go talk to him when he wakes up though. He said he _remembers_ his dream."

"Oh. That's actually a good development. Knowing the landscape of his dream might give us a clue that might help point us towards the reasons he's having them in the first place."

"Good." Caroline smiled at Freya, almost awkwardly. "I'm just going to head out so…"

"Why don't you stay and have some breakfast with us?" Keelin offered. "If you prefer a more liquid kind of meal I'm sure there's a chiller with blood bags in the house somewhere."

"Thank you," Caroline said politely. "I'm just a little tired and I have a long day ahead of me so I'm just looking forward to going back to the hotel and freshening up."

"Understandable." Keelin nodded.

"Thank you for doing this Caroline," Freya said, "We really appreciate it."

"Don't thank me, I pretty much owe Klaus at this point," Caroline said with a smile.

"Right. The Gemini lead." Freya looked like she wanted to say more but she didn't, which worked for Caroline since she was in a hurry to leave anyway. She nodded at the two of them and moved to walk out. Just before she reached the door, a thought struck her and she turned around to look at them.

"You know what, I'm only here for another three nights anyway so I was thinking that maybe… I could handle the night shifts. You know, just while I'm here…" Caroline never gave a second thought before offering help to others but as soon as those words slipped out, her mind went berserk.

_What are you doing, Caroline?_

_You were the one who wanted to keep your distance._

_Yes, Klaus has agreed to respect your decision but it's not him you're worried about, is it?_

"That sounds great, Caroline. Thank you," Freya smiled and Caroline shrugged.

"Yeah well after that he's all yours – being here, this is the very least I can do."

 _Right, he gave you a way to possibly save your children and that's huge so you just want to repay him_.

Caroline started to wonder if it's possible for her inner voice to have embraced sarcasm.

"He's going to be happy to hear it," Freya said, the hint of a very familiar smirk appearing on her face. Caroline rolled her eyes.

"He's always happy for a chance to annoy me," she muttered and turned to walk out of there, unable to help but smile at that thought.

* * *

"What's this I hear about Caroline Forbes signing up for night shifts with you, Nik? Voluntarily, no less?" Rebekah flashed a smug smirk at Klaus who was sitting across from her at the table in the atrium.

"It was actually her idea," Freya added, throwing a glance at their brother from next to him with a teasing smile on her face. Klaus rolled his eyes at his sisters.

"It would appear you two seem to have forgotten what a 'night shift' entails. I know the words sound similar to you, Rebekah, but it's not exactly the same as date night or nearly as pleasurable."

"I'm sure Caroline can find ways to make it pleasurable for you." Rebekah wiggled her eyebrows at him. Klaus shook his head and turned to Freya who had burst into laughter watching their exchange.

"Is this why you called for a family lunch, Freya? So you and Rebekah could rib me about my friendship with Caroline Forbes?"

"Oh, so it's _friendship_ , now?"

"Rebekah…"

"Actually Brother," Freya cut in before he could snap at Rebekah. "I was curious to know how you managed to get _so_ lucky with finding Caroline exactly what she needed for help with her daughters." She narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously.

"Yes, Nik. Your precious Miss Mystic vampire has been searching for a solution for quite some time now and then you return from the dead and magically appear to have just the thing she's been looking for." Rebekah's face turned serious. "Please tell me this is not another one of those situations where you withhold things so you can whip them out as per your convenience to suit your real-life chess games… because that's just cruel. These are her kids' lives you're dealing with."

"Don't be ridiculous, Rebekah. I would never do that to Caroline," Klaus glared at his sister and she rolled her eyes. "It's exactly what Freya said… I got lucky." Freya raised her eyebrows at him and he explained. "Caroline and I were talking about the Merge and her daughters' plight when Sylvia happened to overhear the conversation."

"Really?" Freya questioned. "And she just what, volunteered that information to you out of the goodness of her heart?"

"Sylvia is an ally with a certain set of… skills that have proven useful over the decades, one of which is being an excellent judge of character." Klaus shrugged. "I suppose she figured Caroline was someone who deserved what she had to offer."

"She was your ally? Now I'm seriously questioning her judgment of character," Rebekah muttered.

"Nevertheless," Klaus continued, choosing to ignore Rebekah's comment, "she was only open to talking about the contents of the page. It took a little persuasion from my end to get her to part with the actual sheet of paper itself."

"I'm surprised she even gave it to you at all, witches aren't really known for sharing items that could hold supernatural value to them," Freya remarked.

"I guess that would depend on Nik's idea of persuasion."

"I simply explained to her that the page wasn't of any real value to her now since the Gemini coven is basically extinct anyway and that if any good was meant to come out of it, it would in the hands of Caroline."

"And then you just gave it to her? Nothing in exchange, no date in return for information… I'm almost impressed, Nik."

"If it makes you feel any better I didn't just give it to her, I snuck it into her bag to deal with later because I was having a nice evening and didn't want any distractions."

"Now that sounds like the Nik I know."

"Of course, we all know where that evening led us," Klaus frowned.

"I still can't believe that little minx killed those three wolves," Rebekah shook her head in disbelief.

"Do you think they'll try again?" Freya asked Klaus, worry etched on her face.

"I doubt it. If not the Mikaelson name, Caroline would have scared some sense into the lone survivor. Besides, we've always had enemies so this is nothing we haven't dealt with before."

I guess you're right, Brother," Freya nodded and looked straight at him. "Do you think Hope knows about any of this?"

"I fail to see any reason why this information would come to her attention."

* * *

"I know, Dad."

"Pardon?"

"I know about the three dead wolves," Hope clarified.

At the end of another very long day at school, she had finally gotten the chance to call her father back to grill him on the happenings in her hometown.

After a moment's pause, Klaus responded. "Who told you?"

"That doesn't matter," Hope huffed. "The fact is I know and I… just wanted to make sure that you're okay."

"I'm perfectly fine, Hope," her father's voice reassured her. "I'm a Hybrid now, remember?"

Hope sighed, a little nervous to ask her father what she was most curious to know. "Dad…"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Did you… did you kill those wolves?" She heard a deep sigh on the other end.

"No Hope, I didn't."

"Why were they even there in the first place?"

Klaus' silence confirmed Hope's fears.

"There were there to kill you… weren't they, Dad?"

"Sweetheart… you knew there would be ramifications from my return. We have accumulated generations of enemies over time so the odds of something happening –"

"So they _were_ there to kill you?" A moment of silence was followed by a single word from her father.

"Yes."

And you thought I didn't need to know this? That my own father was nearly killed when he went to visit a bar in the city?"

'Hope, you really don't need to concern yourself with this. Everything is under control and I just want you to focus on school, is that clear?"

"But –"

"Is that _clear_?"

Hope scoffed. When did Klaus Mikaelson turn into a hands-on father?

"Yeah, Dad." Her defeated tone clearly wasn't missed as Hope heard a sigh on the other end of the line.

"Hope, if there's something really wrong and we're having trouble dealing with it, I'll tell you about it. I promise. I'll even let you help."

Hope frowned, surprised at her father's show of good faith.

"Okay."

"Alright, then. I need to go sweetheart, your Aunt Rebekah is waiting to escort me to the basement for tonight's round of turning… need to be done before Miss Forbes arrives for watch duty."

"Okay… take care, Dad."

"I love you, Hope."

"Love you too."

Hope tossed her phone to the side and lay flat on her bed, staring at the ceiling.

Those wolves were there to kill her Dad. She knew she could expect enemies to come out of hiding once they found out the 'Great Evil Klaus Mikaelson' was back but she only now realized… she wasn't prepared for this as much as she thought she was.

Her father had stepped out of their home for the first time in months. How did those wolves even know where to find him? Who even –

Hope gasped. There was only one person she had happened to tell about her father being at St. James Infirmary that night, someone who also happened to be a werewolf himself.

Jake.

Hope shook her head in disbelief as the realization dawned on her.

She really needed to find him. He hadn't returned any of her calls so she decided to drop him a text.

H: Jake, we need to talk.

* * *

_Klaus was running as fast as he could. It was almost dark and all he could see were the trees that brushed past him as he kept moving like he was running for his life._

_Wait, had he been here before?_

_Before he could take a moment to ponder over that, he came to a halt at a clearing that had opened up in the woods before him._

_He knew this place; he could see the Old Witch House before him in all its gloomy glory._

_He walked in and the spirits of a hundred dead witches began chattering all at once with his presence having seemed to disturb their peace. Klaus mentally prepared himself for an onslaught of pain but was surprised by a familiar voice._

' _At last, you're here. We don't have much time.'_

_Klaus froze, he was sure he would never have to hear that shrill voice again. He let out a low growl in frustration._

' _Well, if it isn't Mary-Alice, the lesser Claire witch."_

' _That's a nice way to greet someone who brought you back to life and is still trying to save your behind.'_

' _What is going on here?' Klaus hesitated for a moment. 'I am still dreaming, aren't I?"_

' _Yes, it was the only way I could reach out to you. It took me a while to get the technique right though, it was going so wrong these past few days...'_

' _You are the one responsible for my nightmares? For me almost tearing my chest out every night?'_

' _Not exactly but that's why I'm here. I'm only going to say this once because we are low on time and you may wake up any moment, so pay close attention."_

" _Speak."_

" _So, it turns out my spell to get the Hollow out of you… didn't completely go through."_

_Klaus felt a chill go through his body; he wasn't sure if it was real or still part of the dream._

' _WHAT?'_

' _Don't get me wrong, my spell was perfect but being the powerful magic it is, there's actually a tiny part of it that still lingers within you; which is why your subconscious mind has been trying to claw it...'_

'… _out of my chest…' Klaus finished for her, his eyes widening upon taking in this new information._

_The chill he felt earlier had now progressed into that familiar sense of dread that came from having the Hollow haunt one from within, a feeling he remembered all too well. He was so caught up processing the news; he only realized a few moments later that Mary-Alice was still talking._

'… _which in turn has been causing some imbalance in the Ancestral Plane as my whole spell was dependant on getting that magic out of your system.'_

_Klaus couldn't care less about the impact the witch's spell on the Plane; he only needed to know one thing._

' _How do I get rid of it?'_

" _There is an extraction spell in my Grimoire but that's been lost for over a century. Luckily, it's a spell everyone in our Coven was taught so you should be able to find it any Claire witch's Grimoire…'_

' _Davina.'_

' _Yes. It's quite a potent spell so you need to be at your strongest to be able to withstand it… you can't have things like a sire-bond holding you back.'_

' _It's almost broken.' Klaus muttered._

' _Also, you'll need a powerful witch on your end to perform the spell, ideally a Claire witch, because tackling magic like this requires all the power that can be spared.' Klaus scoffed, knowing there was no way Davina would ever do a favor like that for him, even if Kol asked her to. 'It has aspects of a linking spell since a witch from the living side will be connecting with one from the dead side.'_

' _So essentially a living witch tosses you a rope, you grab hold and tug the magic out. And I'll be done with the Hollow once and for all?'_

' _Well, I haven't yet worked out how to absorb it into the Plane but as long as it's out of you my problems should be solved." Impatience flashed in Klaus' eyes._

' _What do you mean? If it won't be absorbed; what happens to the magic?'_

' _Poof, simply gone. And besides, as long as it's out of you I don't –'_

' _You were the one who told me magic like that doesn't just disappear,' Klaus' voice grated out, his temper rising._

' _It may be powerful but it's a very small part of the Hollow, not nearly strong enough to absorb itself into an unwilling host. For all you know it will find a home in the nearest jar of cookies and…'_

 _Klaus began to feel that burn again; the Hollow pulsing within him like cold flames licking the insides of his rib cage. He needed to get it out. Get it out. Get it out_!

"GET IT OUT!" Klaus yelled.

"Klaus, wake UP!" Caroline tried to steady his convulsing body that was fighting back with full Hybrid strength. He had already hurt himself, having self-inflicted multiple gashes across his arms and chest while under the influence of his dream. His Hybrid fangs had dropped and she pressed down on his shoulders when –

"Ow! Klaus will you just –" In the struggle, his sharp teeth had scraped across her arms, stinging her as any werewolf bite would, only this felt worse. She pulled herself free of his grip and without another thought, threw a hard punch across his face.

There was a loud thwack as her fist met his cheek and with an aggravated roar Klaus' eyes snapped open, flashing electric blue for a second before returning to their original cobalt shade.

Caroline stared at him anxiously, watching as he blinked and began to regain his senses. When he saw her, a look of relief and joy washed over his face… until he noticed her arms.

Two large slashes stretched in a line across her wrist in one arm and her elbow on the other and they were already starting to look infected from his venom. His eyes widened in horror.

"Is that… did I…"

"Relax, Klaus, I'll be fine. It's nothing you haven't done before," she teased, wincing slightly as she tried to lighten the mood looking at Klaus' horrified face. "Besides, you're the antidote, remember? I'd prefer a glass this time though," she clarified and Klaus couldn't help but let out a low chuckle.

"You know it is best straight from the source, sweetheart," he said, curling his lips. Caroline rolled her eyes, biting back a smile as she shoved an empty cup into his hand.

"Tell me what happened," she demanded in a firm tone. "Was it the same dream?"

Klaus smirked and slowly bit into his wrist, letting it bleed into the cup while he licked his own lips, not taking his eyes off Caroline for a second.

Caroline swallowed, oblivious to the fact that her lips had parted slightly as she observed his actions. He raised the semi-filled cup to her face, looking pleased.

"To answer your question, sweetheart… yes, it was the same dream."

"Oh?" Caroline took the cup and grasped it with both hands, her blue eyes wide.

"Except this time, things got really interesting…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PHEW, finally! So what did you guys think? The chapter was as long as any other update but a LOT of things happened story-wise. I also played around with the writing style a bit here and there when switching between Klaus and Caroline's perspectives, giving a voice to Caroline's thoughts now and then. Fun!
> 
> As always I try my best to stay true to the characters' voices and personality and keep things as canon as possible - I think this is where a lot of my time goes when I'm writing chapters, every time I visualize a shot and it doesn't read the way I see it, I have to edit. Hope that hard work comes through!
> 
> SPECIAL NOTE: I finally got to deal with the Camille aspect with Klaus and Caroline in this chapter and took great effort to make sure I did it justice and gave all three characters the respect they deserve.
> 
> I've always maintained that even though I'm a Klaroline shipper I respect where the writers went with the story, irrespective of whether it went my way or not. They are the writers after all and for everything else we have fanfiction :)
> 
> I just wanted to say I still get saddened by the toxicity that I come across with the whole Klamille VS Klaroline thing. It's simple: it's either your ship or it isn't, there's nothing to gain from one upping each other and putting the other down. As fans, it's up to us to dilute this toxicity and keep things respectful and friendly so let's do that!
> 
> Did I ask for reviews yet? No? Okay, please share your thoughts on the story because I LOVE hearing from you all! Cheers.


	20. Work hard, Play hard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Klaus tells his family about his dream and they plan next steps. Hope finally confronts Jake. Caroline finds out more about destroying the Gemini curse and faces a difficult decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can I just start by saying I am OVERWHELMED by the amount of love and support that came in for the last chapter! I was so worried about being late by two days with the update... mostly because it was one of the toughest and most hard-hitting chapters I've had to edit so far. But the way you guys responded to it just made me think: damn, that was totally worth putting in that extra time. I read each and every review - I see you and appreciate you all!
> 
> I was especially happy to see other people in the fandom who respect all characters for who they are - I'm talking about Camille, Klaus & Caroline. It gives me hope that together as fans of the show we can take steps towards diluting some of the toxicity in the fandom out there.
> 
> I'm glad some of the readers brought up the whole aspect of whether Klaus' blood can actually heal wolf bites since he's not an 'Original' Hybrid anymore. Good one! Guess we'll find out this chapter so why don't y'all get right to it ;)
> 
> Disclaimer: I am not the creator of the TVDverse. Seriously.

Klaus gave Caroline a quick run-through of what he had learned from the dream while she shifted to her chair that she had pulled to his bed-side; she raptly listened as she slowly drank from the tea cup filled with his blood.

It was only when he was done narrating his story that Klaus noticed Caroline was being uncharacteristically quiet and saw that she was now leaning back in the chair in with her arms down and eyes shut. He wondered when was the last time she got any sleep since she was spending all her nights with him and her days out in the city.

He gingerly sat up and extended his hand to reach out and touch her cheek. "Sweetheart?"

He frowned; she seemed to be burning up and her face was moist with sweat. Caroline stirred slightly.

"Klaus?"

"Yes, love?"

"Why am I not healing?"

Klaus' eyes widened as he gently took Caroline's hands and turned them over to look at the deep scratch marks he had left across her arms. She was right; the wounds didn't seem to be mending… if anything it looked like it was getting worse.

Klaus groaned in frustration; Caroline's lack of healing had confirmed what he had suspected since Rebekah had brought it up the first night he had spent turning; he had denied it then but now he was sure.

He was no longer an Original. He was simply a werewolf-vampire Hybrid.

Oddly, the former realization didn't bother him too much… at least not as much as the latter did. If he needed yet another reason to feel like an outsider in his family, that would probably be it.

On that thought he was suddenly hit by an image of Elijah earnestly assuring him that he was still a part of the family, his brother, and whether he was an Original or not didn't matter.

He really missed his brother.

Just then, Caroline whimpered and Klaus turned to grab his phone off the bed-side table to make a call.

"Rebekah? I need you to get me that spare vial of Hope's blood we'd kept for emergencies."

* * *

Later that morning, Klaus and the rest of the family sat around the table in the dining room as he told them what he had learned from Mary-Alice. Caroline had rushed out after healing completely from drinking Hope's blood, having decided not to stick around for breakfast citing work related to her daughters.

Klaus would have been lying to himself if he thought he was unaffected by her eagerness to leave; he simply chose instead to be grateful for the time he did get to spend with her as friends. Besides, it was completely understandable that Caroline was just worried about her children.

"This is good," Freya said. "Things are finally starting to make sense."

"Are we really going to trust that damned witch from Nik's dream?" Rebekah looked surprised. "How do we know it was even real and not just, I don't know, a dream?"

"Don't speak ill of a Claire witch Rebekah," Kol's voice rang out on speaker from her phone. "They're definitely smarter than you. But then again I can say that _anyone_ with a brain is smarter than –"

"Kol, you do realize I can just hang up and get you to shut your –"

"Enough!" Klaus barked impatiently at his siblings, his fist banging on the table. "I agree with Freya. As much as I prefer not to trust her, it's the only plausible explanation for what I'm going through. I do however, need a Claire witch to perform the spell that gets the remains of the Hollow out of me. He turned to the phone screen with a forced smile. "Kol? Care to make yourself useful?"

"I'm sorry, Brother." Kol responded in a sincere voice that took Klaus by surprise. "There's absolutely no way that Davina will do anything for you. Even with my _marvelous_ convincing skills –"

"I don't doubt you there, Kol; you did manage to convince Davina to marry you," Rebekah remarked and Klaus couldn't help the amused smile on his face from his brother sounding like himself again after barely two seconds of seriousness.

"My point is, there's no chance that Davina – yes, my WIFE – will agree to it," Kol stuck his tongue out on the screen, looking straight at Rebekah. "She left everything she went through in that city behind her and has no interest in getting sucked back into all of that."

"It's fine." Freya spoke up, gently putting a comforting arm on Klaus' shoulder. "I can do it, Brother. As soon as you're completely un-sired, I can start to prepare with some –"

"Okay, hold on." Keelin stared at her wife from across the table. "Freya, you're seven months pregnant. It's not safe for you or our baby."

"I'll be fine, Keelin," Freya reached out and squeezed her hand. " _We_ will be fine. I'm strong enough…"

"Keelin's right," Klaus interrupted, turning to face his sister. "I can't ask you to do this, Freya. We'll find someone else. If anything happens to your child…"

"I'm fine, Niklaus," Freya insisted. "I can't explain it but I have a really good feeling about being able to do this."

"I don't like this," Keelin frowned. Freya looked at her apologetically.

"It will be fine, Keelin. I promise. Besides, I have nothing to worry about since you will be by my side the entire time. I'll channel you for energy when doing the spell so there's less pressure on me." Freya smiled. "Now do you feel better?" Keelin sighed in resignation.

"I trust you, Freya. But are you sure about this?" Freya nodded reassuringly at her wife.

"That's not our only problem," Marcel spoke up, "Is no one worried about what is going to happen to the expelled magic?" He turned to look straight at Klaus. "Don't you remember the last time the Hollow magic just possessed me and you like it was nothing?"

"If Mary-Alice was confident about anything it was this – that the amount of Hollow magic in me is too weak to be capable of anything of that sort," Klaus asserted.

"And yet it is capable of giving you nightmares that make you tear your skin out," Marcel said pointedly. "Klaus, there's a lot we don't understand here. Are you sure you want to go through with this? And what about Hope, you plan on telling her? What if the magic somehow finds its way back to her?"

"Hope doesn't need to know about _any_ of this," Klaus said through gritted teeth. Marcel shook his head at him.

"Are you really going to start keeping secrets from your daughter? Because that's a slippery slope to go down and we all know how she responds to you hiding things from her."

"If keeping her in the dark until I get this thing out of me is what I have to do in order to spare her unnecessary worry and to keep her safe, I'll do it." Klaus glared at him.

"Klaus is right," Freya agreed. "We all know Hope is not one to stay away when she knows her family is in trouble, she'll willingly put her life on the line to save the ones she loves."

"Regardless, she's a smart kid. She deserves the truth!" argued Marcel.

"Just like you thought she _deserved_ to know about the St. James incident when I specifically told you not to tell her about it?"

"What? I didn't –"

"Marcel, you of all people should know I don't like being caught unawares, much less when it comes to my daughter. So imagine my surprise when she began to question me about who really killed those wolves that night."

"You and I had agreed not to tell her about it Klaus, and I didn't." Marcel glared at him.

"How convenient, considering Hope refrained from mentioning her source," Klaus growled back.

"Can everyone just calm down?" Rebekah stood up looking between her brother and her lover. "Let's keep this debate on hold for now and just deal with the important things first – Nik, you need to focus on getting un-sired. Freya, you need to get your hands on that spell and we'll all help. Depending on where we stand by the weekend, we'll decide whether Hope needs to know or not. Are we done here?" Klaus raised his eyebrows.

"For once, I agree with Rebekah," he smirked, ducking his head as she picked up a beignet and tossed it right at him.

* * *

"Landon!"

The curly haired teenager looked up from a table he was wiping down to see Hope looking at him from the entrance of the Mystic Grill. He waved and walked up to her.

"Hey, Hope. Can I get you your usual?" he asked with a friendly smile.

"Actually, I was wondering if you know where Jake is."

After a string of unanswered texts, Hope actually began to worry and decided she needed to find him to make sure he was okay. Doing a locator spell was pointless without any of his belongings to use – she had attempted it on a whim using the birthday gift he had gotten her and it ended up pointing back at her.

So Hope decided to go with a good old-fashioned search and the Mystic Grill seemed like the best place to start.

"Oh. He had actually taken a couple of days off but he's come in today. I should know, sometimes I have to deal with an earful when people in the kitchen are overwhelmed, you know?" He was about to continue with his tangent when he saw Hope's confused face. "Err, he's almost done with his shift anyway so you can wait here. I've got to get back to work."

Hope's eyes widened. "Wait… so he's _here_? Right now?"

"Yeah. In fact, he should be coming out soon so there's no way you can miss him." Hope scoffed and as if on cue, Jake stepped out of the kitchen looking as grumpy as ever.

"Lan, I'm heading out, I –" He stopped when he saw the very angry looking girl standing next to his friend Landon.

"Hope."

* * *

Klaus stood at his balcony gazing at the early evening crowd spilling on to the streets, taking a quiet moment alone to think. So lost was he in his thoughts that he didn't realize that someone had entered his room until they came and stood next to him. He turned to see Freya smiling at him.

"Are you okay, Brother?" she asked, gently squeezing his shoulder.

"I thought I was done with the Hollow once and for all," Klaus shook his head in frustration. "As much as I hate to admit, Marcel's right. We can't just do a spell and assume the magic is gone, hoping that it doesn't come back to haunt us one day. It could target Hope. Or any of you. Even your child."

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there," Freya said, shrugging. "There's some good news; Kol just sent us copies of the pages for the spell we need to do." Klaus looked at her, surprised.

"What?"

"Davina isn't going to help us but Kol was able to convince her to at least share the particular Claire witch spell we need out of her Grimoire and she agreed. So that's a start."

"Looks like Kol managed to prove his worth after all. He always was a sneaky one, the bastard."

"So, as soon as you're un-sired, I'll be able to do the spell on you," Freya confirmed, idly rubbing her belly. Klaus frowned.

"Sister…" he started, "I was serious about getting another witch to do this, you know. I can't have you and your child standing in the line of fire for me…"

"Brother, I have to do it," Freya insisted. "You don't understand… and honestly I can't explain it either. Keelin was worried that all the magic I'm doing will weaken the child I'm carrying but the truth is, I feel like the magic inside me has never been more powerful. It's like… he makes me stronger." Klaus smiled and tilted his head at her.

"Well, between you and me, you're the only one I trust to do this right anyway." Freya snorted, giving him a look that said 'obviously'. Klaus' eyes shifted back to the street view and he gripped the railings, a grimace forming on his face. "You know this would have been so much easier if I could just go and drag that wretched witch back here and torture her into doing the spell for us."

"But you're not that man anymore, Brother," Freya said softly.

Klaus merely grunted in response.

"There is one thing, though. I think…" Freya hesitated and Klaus raised an eyebrow at her. "… I think this particular spell might work best if we combine my magic with that of a certain kind of witch." Klaus frowned at his sister questioningly for a moment before his expression slowly changed to one of understanding.

"You want Siphoners."

"Think about it… part of this spell involves extracting the Hollow from your body and frankly, your idea to use the Saltzman twins to remove the magic out of Hope back then was quite inspired." Freya watched her brother carefully. "Is there any way you'd be able to convince Caroline to let her children do this again?" Klaus sighed, shaking his head.

"I highly doubt it. And even if I did…" Klaus pursed his lips. "There's no way Alaric Saltzman is going to allow his daughters to be at the service of the Mikaelsons again."

* * *

Jake's eyes widened on seeing Hope but his look of surprise barely lasted a second before it went back to his default expression of indifference. Hope continued to glare at him and Landon cleared his throat, laughing awkwardly.

"Okay so I'm just gonna…" He shuffled off to the kitchen before elaborating any further, leaving the two of them to continue their staring contest. Hope nodded at an empty table nearby and they slid into the seats across each other, not breaking eye contact. Hope had her arms crossed in front of her chest and spoke up first.

"Guess you're not dead," she scowled at him. He scoffed.

"Why do you even care?" He shrugged at her and Hope frowned.

"Why? Because that's what friends do. They care, they reply to texts so others don't worry. They call and they certainly don't leave cryptic messages giving bad news and disappear for two days with no –"

"What do you want me to say hope? My phone was dead? I had personal problems? Whatever makes you feel better you can take your pick and believe it because I don't want to talk about it."

"What is _wrong_ with you? I thought you'd moved on from being the monosyllabic chauffeur who doesn't seem to care about anything. Guess I was mistaken thinking we were actually becoming friends."

"That was before your father decided to go about killing our kind in the Quarter."

"OH no… YOU don't get to be mad about that. My father simply stepped out of the house for the first time since he got back. Y _ou_ were the only one who knew where he was and all of a sudden this crazy bunch of wolves shows up ready to kill him!" Jake started to argue and stopped, raising an eyebrow.

"Wait, you think _I_ did this?"

"What else was I supposed to think?"

"I don't know! That I was worried about you? That you might be concerned for your father's safety?"

"You just accused him of killing those werewolves that night!"

"And you accused ME! How do you expect me to give your father the benefit of the doubt when you don't think I deserve to be extended the same courtesy?"

"I _did_ give you the benefit of the doubt! I was ready to talk to you and you just VANISHED! You still haven't given an explanation for that by the way…"

"I told you I don't want to talk about it." Hope shook her head at him and stood up from the table.

"Fine," Hope spat. "At least now I know I don't have to waste my time worrying about you anymore. Clearly, we aren't friends." She stomped away from him and out the door, not seeing Jake's shoulders slump in resignation at her words.

* * *

Caroline entered her hotel room and slammed the door behind her, exhausted after another long day in the Quarter, running on barely any sleep. As a vampire sleep wasn't as much a necessity as it was for a human but it was still essential.

She hadn't fed in a long time either, the last time was when Klaus had offered her his blood – followed by a shot of Hope's – but she needed nourishment. Caroline had always thought of the blood of an Original Hybrid as decadent, more comparable to chocolate cake than a proper balanced meal.

Except Klaus wasn't even an Original anymore, at least not physically. The look of gloom that had crossed his face when he realized his blood couldn't heal her anymore wasn't something that Caroline missed even in her feverish state. It was a surreal moment considering it was that very unique aspect of his blood that had brought them together in a way all those years ago. What made it stranger was the sense of loss that _she_ felt; Caroline promptly attributed it to being an unfortunate side-effect of her mind being hazy from the Hybrid venom.

She opened her fridge and grabbed a blood bag. Popping the cap off, she drank straight out of it, immediately feeling all her energy coming back.

Having satiated her hunger, she got into the shower. The steady gush of water droplets relaxed her body and she scrubbed her hair as she mulled over everything that she had learned over the past couple of days upon meeting the few witches that Sylvia had referred her to.

"… _Should one find a way to expel the very dark magic every Gemini is burdened with or bond them remotely and clear of the hosts…" Caroline read the line from the passage. "What does that even mean?"_

_Agatha, a witch who owned a flower shop in the French Quarter – and was also a supplier for herbs required for practicing witches – looked at the sheet on which Caroline had scribbled the line from the journal entry._

" _If I'm interpreting it correctly," she said thoughtfully, "it might just be possible to nullify the deadly side effects of the merge if you figure out a way to get the dark curse out of their system and merge them externally_."

Caroline let the now lukewarm shower water wash the soap suds off her smooth shoulders. Agatha had given her another important piece of information. Her interpretation was that they had to basically find a way to remove the dark magic in her girls and recreate the Merge _outside_ their body.

Caroline didn't need to guess if that was much less simpler than it sounded; it most definitely was. And that was what she had discussed with Sylvia's other contact, an old man named Pierre who used to have distant connections to the Gemini coven and now spent most of his days reading in the Square.

" _You may be right, ma fille," Pierre said when she told him about Agatha's theory. "But this Gemini magic, it is one that is, what do you say… parasitaire."_

" _A parasite?" Caroline frowned. "I guess that makes sense…if you're planning to curse someone you might as well design it to make sure it stays in the person, right?"_

" _Oui, that is the problem," he said shaking his head at her. "It is very strong magic and difficult to remove. If you manage to get it out you need to destroy it immediately…it will not go long without a body to latch onto. Easiest way to destroy otherwise is the host itself." Caroline stared at him._

" _Wait a second… what are you saying?"_

" _If you want to get rid of the curse, you have to remove and then merge both of the twins' magic in another body. And only the death of that person would destroy it_. _Kill the host, kill the parasite._ "

Caroline squeezed the last bit of dripping water from the ends of her short hair and wrapped a towel around her body. She stood in front of the bathroom mirror, wiping the foggy surface that now reflected the anxiety in her eyes.

Finding a way to extract the curse out of her daughters was one thing. Merging them and then placing them in another body… And who would that even be? Was she supposed to find someone who wanted to die?

No. Just because her world had gotten grey when it came to killing, it didn't turn her into someone who didn't value life. She wouldn't sentence someone to death, willing or not, even if it meant saving the lives of her daughters. And that's when the small voice that had been whispering to her all this suddenly made itself heard.

 _What if you let your body be the host_ …

She shivered, which was a strange sensation for a vampire to feel considering they weren't affected by extreme temperatures. But then again, it was an understandable reaction to the very real possibility that she might have to die in order to save her children.

 _It would be one death to end the curse once and for all_. Her rational side argued.

 _Are you willing to rid your children of their mother in order to save them_? Her emotional side asked.

One thing was clear… saving her daughters would come at the cost of one death, be it her or anyone else.

Caroline suddenly felt a surge of admiration towards Klaus for how he handled things when Hope had first consumed the Hollow.

 _A parent does whatever it takes to save their children_.

She swallowed, nibbling her lower lip as she made a decision.

If it came down to it she would give herself up. But for now she decided to keep this information to herself.

Her somber thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her phone ringing. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed a towel and wrapped it around herself before stepping out of the bathroom to get to her phone she had left on the hotel room desk. She glanced at the caller ID and picked up, clearing her throat.

"Klaus?"

"Hello, love. You sound…refreshed."

"W-What? How did you –" Caroline stammered, suddenly acutely aware that she was practically naked and talking to Klaus, a situation she did not see herself being in... again. "Please tell me your Hybrid hearing did not actually catch the sounds of water dripping from the showerhead in the bathroom!" Klaus didn't respond for a few seconds.

"So you _did_ just step out of the shower?" Caroline scoffed; she could have sworn she could hear a smirk in his voice.

"Yes. And before you ask, I'm fully clothed." Klaus chuckled.

"No, you're not."

"What! There's no way –"

"You're speaking in your naked voice," Klaus said simply.

"I do NOT have a naked voice!"

"Yes, you do. Trust me, it's not something I can forget easily, Caroline. It's beautiful, sexy, alluring…"

"If you think this is some new way of complimenting me or making me feel good or thanking me for helping you out –"

"Am I making you feel good?"

"KLAUS!" Caroline was fuming and she heard an amused snort from Klaus on the other end.

"I'm just teasing, love," Klaus laughed and before he could say anything more Caroline burst into a bout of giggles herself; it was a welcome relief from all the anxiety she had been experiencing only minutes earlier. "Truth be told, Caroline," Klaus spoke as their laughter slowly died down, "The reason I called you is somewhat serious. I need to ask you for a favor."

"Erm, okay?"

Caroline listened silently as Klaus told her about everything he and his family had discussed in the morning. He told her about the Claire witch spell they had obtained from Davina to get the Hollow out of him. He also told her about the aspects of Freya performing the spell on him.

"I hate to have to ask," Klaus said finally. "But I was hoping for the support of your daughters with the spell." Caroline huffed and ran her fingers through her damp hair.

"Klaus, you can't be serious. You can't just avail the services of my children as you please, there has to be another way to do it."

_And I currently have bigger problems to deal with regarding them._

"Of course there's another way to do it without them. This is just a request; if your girls can assist with the spell it will be much simpler for Freya to carry out."

"Klaus, you said it yourself, you need to be completely un-sired before even attempting this spell," Caroline pointed out in a firm voice. "You're asking for my girls to come home this weekend to do this and that's like, a day away! Let's be realistic here; at the rate you're going there's no chance of the sire bond being broken within that time! I think you need to worry about getting that off your plate before even asking me to let my girls be any part of this."

"So if I manage to break the sire bond before the weekend, you'll allow your girls to do this?"

"You're not _going_ to be ready by this weekend and you shouldn't be aiming to either! You're already stretched thin as it is with the Hollow slowing down your healing process."

"I'll take that as a challenge," he muttered and Caroline groaned at his stubbornness.

"Klaus… after months of being human, I'm sure being a Hybrid makes you _feel_ invincible but there's only so much your body can take and we don't even know the extent of the Hollow's effect on you," she spoke as gently as she could so he would pay attention. "You really shouldn't be pushing yourself this much! What if my girls do this and you not being at optimum strength makes the spell go wrong? Your impatience and recklessness could be what puts them in a possibly harmful situation."

"Do you really think I would do anything that endangers the lives of your girls?" Caroline knew that if Klaus was standing in front of her right now, his deep blue eyes would have been boring into hers. She sighed.

"I think you should just concentrate on getting stronger for now," she said wearily. "In the mean time we will figure out another way to get the magic out of you, something that doesn't involve my girls."

"So you're saying you won't help me?" Klaus voice had turned flat. Caroline bit her lower lip, catching the hint of hurt in his voice.

"I'm saying…" she said softly, "…we'll find another way…together."

Klaus didn't respond immediately. "Fine," he said shortly.

"Okay," said Caroline, relieved that part of the conversation was somewhat done now. "So I'll drop by in a couple of hours for watch duty when you're done with –"

"Don't come in tonight." Caroline couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Seriously?" she pressed her lips together, annoyed. "Klaus, are you going to sulk about this?"

"I'm simply in no mood for company. I'll get Rebekah or Marcel to watch me today."

Caroline shook her head. He might as well have specified _her_ company. She couldn't help but feel slightly disheartened at the way he said it to her though, unlike the last time when she didn't care if he was too busy because she was in dire need of a prom dress.

"Okay, fine…" she said resignedly. "Just… don't stress yourself out too much, okay?"

He simply grunted curtly in response. Caroline's tongue flicked across her upper lip, trying to remain patient.

"So… not tonight. Are we still on for tomorrow night, then?" Caroline checked with him, hoping he could hear the smile in her voice.

"Why?" Klaus's response surprised her.

"Well, it's my last night in the city before I head back."

"No Caroline, why are you doing this? Why did you decide to spend your nights with me when you made it abundantly clear to me at the start how wrong it was?"

Caroline was silent for a moment before she admitted, "I told Freya I'd take the night shifts with you for as long as I'm here in town because I owe you for helping me out."

"I see. Is that all this is? Repayment for a favor? Guilt?" Klaus' voice had grown colder. "Well, allow me to close the account so you can go home scot-free without a care in the world."

"Ugh Klaus, what do you want me to say? That I'm actually worried about you? That I care whether you're doing okay or not? News flash, I _do_ care! But don't worry, you only have to deal with me for one more day because after that I return to Mystic Falls and then you can finally fulfill your wish to not see me again! Well, that is until the next time you have a _siphoning crisis_ on your hands that you'll need my daughters' help with!"

Klaus groaned. "Caroline –"

"Don't." Caroline squeezed her eyes shut as she took a deep breath to calm herself down. "Just… focus on getting un-sired right now and we'll work out the rest in due time, okay?"

Klaus took a moment to respond and Caroline hoped he understood that she had made up her mind about her daughters not being available to help.

"Alright."

She felt slightly bad about turning him down, but at the moment she had bigger issues at hand she needed to find solutions to.

"Goodnight, Klaus."

* * *

J: I'm sorry.

Hope blinked at her phone screen unable to believe what she was seeing. Jake had finally reached out to her after she had walked out on him at the Grill earlier. Before she could think about replying, his next text popped up.

J: It's stuff at home. Personal.

Hope's eyebrows furrowed as she typed out a response.

H: You could've just told me that.

J: I know.

The conversation lay stagnant after that with neither of them appearing to have anything more they could say to each other. Hope put her phone aside and began to get ready for bed when her phone pinged again.

J: I can explain everything. I'm driving you home this weekend so maybe we can catch up then?

Hope considered his suggestion for a moment before responding.

H: Maybe.

* * *

After a restless night of sleep, Caroline spent most of the next morning busy with research. She had a compilation of spell books she had collected over the past few months from various sources that she had been poring over for hours, looking for anything remotely related to transferring magic from one person to another.

The only time she took a break was when she called Ric to inform him of the latest discoveries she had made about the curse of the Merge. _Maybe_ she conveniently left out the part about someone having to die but Caroline was not ready to entertain that possibility just yet and didn't want to let Ric know until she was.

One thing that was annoying her though was how Klaus seemed to cross her mind every now and then. She knew he was perfectly capable of taking care of himself and even if he was at a disadvantage of any kind he had his family around to help him.

But for some unknown and _incredibly_ frustrating reason, not knowing if his night went okay weighed on her. She tried to ignore it but that only made her feel worse and that compounded with exasperation at being distracted by him eventually advanced into an overall infuriating guilt-fest.

She looked at the time; lunch could be a good excuse for a change of scenery and a breath of fresh air. She was starting to get sick of the smell of old grimoires and text books.

She grabbed her coat and stepped out to get a snack at a nearby café. Unfortunately as soon as her croissant came to her table and she was hit with the aroma of freshly baked bread, a memory of Klaus' offer to take her to Paris so many years ago flooded her mind and that was what finally did her in.

"Damn it, Klaus!" she grumbled to no one in particular. She fished her phone out of her bag and paused for a moment before dialing a number. It was picked up on the third ring.

"Caroline?"

"Hey, Freya." Caroline was starting to appreciate Freya as being a reliable person she could turn to in times of Klaus trouble. "I just called because…" Caroline just realized she hadn't really thought about what she wanted to say. "I was just worried because my last conversation with Klaus didn't really end on a solid note. I mean, he didn't seem to be in a great state of mind."

"Ah yes, that seems to be a trend with you two lately. He mentioned you weren't comfortable with your daughters helping us." It sounded bitter but something about the way Freya said it, Caroline knew it wasn't intentionally so.

"It's just… I didn't want to put my girls in that position again… I'm so sorry, Freya."

"Caroline, I understand. And trust me, Klaus understands too." Caroline smiled softly upon hearing that.

"How was last night for him? I'm hoping at least the nightmares have gone away since the witch managed to get the message through to him." Freya didn't respond immediately, which worried her. "Freya, what's wrong?"

"Caroline…" Freya hesitated again.

"What is it? Tell me!"

"Klaus… he never went to bed last night."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh oh, looks like Caroline had reason to worry after all! What do you think happened?
> 
> So I've got an announcement: since this story is written as my version of Season 6 of The Originals, in true TVDverse style, this chapter is officially my MID-SEASON FINALE! In terms of updates, this basically means there's going to be a short break - just a little time for me to catch up and completely flesh out and write ahead the rest of the story so I can post uninterrupted once I get back.
> 
> This mid-story break wasn't unplanned - my initial idea was to do it on the Camille cliffhanger but then I told myself I'm not that evil :P Besides Chapter 20 seemed like a nice even break. Moreover, my primary estimation for this fic was about 33 chaps but at the rate I'm delving into it I wouldn't be surprised if it hit 40 - essentially making this the actual halfway point in the story!
> 
> Also, honestly I didn't like not being able to update on time for you guys. Yet another reason for the mid-season break! There's a lot happening in the second half of the story as everything comes together and I want to make sure I do it justice for you all to have the best reading experience I can offer :)
> 
> That being said, what did you think of the chapter? Another eventful one I had fun writing!
> 
> I know I already decided on the break for now (I'm estimating up to a month, not more) but I might start sooner if I get a confident enough head start.
> 
> All I wish for is one thing: I hope you stick around for the second half :)
> 
> Until then, Bookmark this story so you know as soon as I update! And of course, spread the love to others who may enjoy the story too.
> 
> Cheers, T :)


	21. Challenge Accepted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caroline changes her mind and convinces Alaric to send the girls to New Orleans. Meanwhile, the twins get suspicious that their parents are hiding something from them. Later, Klaus gets worse and Freya reaches out to Caroline.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaand we're back after our Mid-Season break; it's been a month as promised. I haven't been able to finish writing the last few chapters as I'd envisioned but I think I've written ahead just enough to be able to manage weekly updates anyway, so YAY!
> 
> I'm glad to be back and I hope you're excited to read the rest of my story as I am to share it with you. It's been encouraging to see lots of new readers coming in (150 plus KUDOS yay!) and it just makes me happy to see my not-so-little-anymore story is being appreciated. Cheers!
> 
> As a special welcome back gift, this chapter is longer than my usual ones and has a LOT of things happening in it that you all my enjoy... so I'm going to stop it with the author notes already and let you get to it.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own TVD, bro

"What?!" Caroline wasn't sure she had heard Freya correctly. "What do you mean he _never_ went to bed last night?"

"He kept mumbling something about getting un-sired sooner and my brother being the stubborn ass he is, decided he could actually go through with it by simply 'putting in a few extra hours'," Freya said, rolling her eyes.

Caroline couldn't believe it.

He was actually trying to break the sire bond in a single week. Like an idiot.

"Ugh!" she groaned. "Honestly, Freya, if he doesn't die from this, I'm going to seriously kill him myself!"

"I told him he was being ridiculous. Rebekah didn't hesitate to point that out to him either. But he just shut us out completely and kept shifting over and over. He still is."

"But you're a witch. Can't you just, I don't know, snap his neck or something just to get him to stop?"

"Snap his neck? I cast a damn sleeping spell on him," Freya scoffed. "The Hollow magic in him must be feeding off his strength and getting more powerful…it wasn't allowing any of my magic to break through to him." Caroline paused to think for a moment and shook her head.

"This is crazy!" She groaned, running her fingers through her hair exasperatedly. "On one hand he needs to turn and break the sire bond to be his most powerful self and on the other hand all that shifting is making him weaker and the Hollow stronger. There's just… no winning here!"

"We just need to get the magic out of him before it completely destroys him." Freya hesitated before asking, "Are you sure you can't bring your children, Caroline? I'm sorry I just have to ask."

Caroline frowned and bit her lower lip. "Freya, they're my kids… I can't just keep dragging them here whenever the Mikaelsons have a problem."

"I know… and I understand. It's not like I can't do the spell myself but with your children's natural siphoning abilities, we wouldn't even _need_ to use that spell. It would be simple and straightforward with no complications or danger to your girls whatsoever." Caroline sighed, she didn't want to be guilt-tripped into helping Klaus but she really did want to help him.

 _He still clouds your judgment_. She could hear Ric's words in her head, as fresh as yesterday.

"I'm sorry, Freya. I really am." She heard a resigned sigh on the other end.

"It's fine. I get it. Can't say I didn't try, right?" Freya let out a short laugh. "Thanks anyway, Caroline."

"Yeah."

Even after having made up her mind that her daughters weren't going to be involved, the more she thought about it, the lesser it seemed like something that would be fatally dangerous to them. Moreover, for some strange reason she couldn't understand, she felt like she could trust Freya when she said no harm will come to come to her girls.

 _If Klaus really did manage to break his sire bond before the weekend, didn't she owe it to him to help him out with this one thing that could save his life_?

It was this thought process that led to her being on the phone with Ric, over an hour after her conversation with Freya, trying to convince him to send their daughters to New Orleans to help.

"The girls were fine the last time."

"Whatever it is, he can't just use our children whenever he needs help. What, does he think he has our girls on retainer for times like this?" Caroline grimaced as she heard Alaric's frustrated voice over the phone. She had expected nothing less but still believed she could get him to see her side of things.

"If this works, it will be the final time."

"That's what we all thought the last time but it wasn't, was it?" Rick scoffed. "I don't know how he convinced you but it looks like that strange hold he has on you hasn't gone away."

"Ric!"

"Am I wrong? Why are you agreeing to this Caroline? He does NOT owe us anything."

"Are you serious, Ric? He gave us the first most promising lead regarding the Merge that we've had in years! This could change _everything_ for our girls and actually give them a shot at beating this!"

"How do you know he didn't have it on him all this time and planned to whip it out just when he needed something in return?" Alaric questioned, stopping whatever words Caroline was going to throw back at him in its tracks. "This is Klaus Mikaelson we are talking about; a master strategist and a manipulator who is capable of doing things more twisted than that to suit his personal needs." Slightly taken aback by Alaric's accusation, Caroline was silent for a moment.

"He wouldn't do that to me," she said quietly. "And he didn't even know that the Hollow was in him when he gave me that!"

"How do you even know it's real?"

"What do you think I've been doing here, Ric? I spend most of my day going all over town in search of people who may know ANYTHING about the Gemini coven just so I can authenticate the value and source of that page from as many as I can before we can even think about trying anything!"

"There you have it. Until what's on that paper is confirmed to be true, I'm not even going to consider our girls lending their help."

"Actually, I need them this weekend."

"What?!"

"You know very well that even if I'm able to prove it's the real thing, there's no way to confirm the information on it is true beyond a shadow of doubt. It's magic; it's not really an exact science…"

"And yet you seem to be okay with our girls being a part of it…"

"Ric, our girls have a gift. Would you rather take the risk of the spell not working because our daughters weren't there to help at the cost of having something powerful like the Hollow existing out there? You have seen what it is capable of!"

"That is exactly why I want our children as far away from this mess as possible."

"I'll be with them the entire time; you have to trust me on this. Just please…send them with Hope tomorrow. I'll talk to them…"

Alaric paused for a long moment before responding. "No, I'll tell them," he said in a resigned voice. "Along with a whole bunch of instructions, warnings and safety measures." Caroline sighed.

"Thank you." Almost instantly after she hung up, her phone rang again. _Busy day_ , she muttered to herself.

She glanced at the caller ID and saw it was Freya. For a second she had a fleeting thought about just how paranoid she would have to be to suspect Freya had some kind of alerting spell on her for when Ric would agree to send their girls to help.

 _That's Mikaelson level paranoia_ , she decided. She just had to go with her instincts and they were telling her that the Mikaelson witch was calling because something was wrong.

"Freya?"

"Hey, I know Klaus told you not to but is there any chance you are coming by tonight?" Caroline's eyes furrowed with worry.

"Why, what happened?" Caroline huffed in annoyance and rolled her eyes. "Has he _still_ not stopped being a stubborn idiot –"

"He's getting worse every time he turns. The Hollow's slowing down his healing and he's getting more violent from the pain as he loses further control over his body." That got Caroline's attention and her eyebrows knitted together in worry.

"What are you going to do?"

"We tried everything we could to get him to stop and we're worried that at this rate, all that we've worked towards is going to be in vain and he's going to get himself killed." Freya sounded tired. "We've run out of options," she admitted. Caroline frowned, unsure of where Freya was going with this.

"Freya, what exactly is it you think _I_ can do?"

"When spells and shackles didn't seem to be working, we tried talking to him directly; Marcel, Rebekah and me. He seemed to respond to us even if his moment of clarity was short-lived." Freya paused before adding, "We were hoping you could give it a shot as well…"

"You want me to… _talk_ to him?"

"Ideally we would have loved to ask Hope but we wanted to keep her out of this. My brother wouldn't want her to see him like this. So yes, I'm asking you." Caroline let out a wry laugh.

"I doubt he's going to react well to my presence at the moment. He's mad at me for not agreeing to let the girls help him…"

"Do you really need me to spell out how he feels about you?" Freya asked in an impatient tone that took Caroline by surprise. She felt her breath catch in her throat at the powerful witch's words.

"I don't…" she started timidly.

"I've looked inside his mind Caroline; seen a thousand years worth of his memories. He'd known you for a fraction of that and even though at the time it was years since he saw you last…" Freya paused and sighed. "You'd be amazed at how much of a presence you had in his head."

Caroline was speechless from what she had just heard and she felt her eyes starting to burn with emotion as she began to speak.

"That was then. Things have changed now." Her throat felt like sandpaper and she hoped Freya didn't notice the shakiness in her voice. "And you didn't have to convince me. I was going to come there anyway. Of COURSE I'll help him however I can." She heard Freya sigh on the other end.

"I'm sorry if I was too forward Caroline but we've just… really run out of other options at the moment." Caroline's eyes shut as she took a moment to think, her mind filling with the image of Klaus in pain and making her chest tighten.

"I'll be there in an hour."

* * *

Hope sat in the library of the Salvatore School for the Young and Gifted as she turned another page on the textbook she was reading. There weren't many people around this late in the evening; the only other person she spotted was this boy from Jed's pack on the far end of the room studying.

Hope was always surprised to see any of the wolves by themselves when they were always so pack-oriented otherwise. She assumed that maybe he wasn't even part of the pack, just a lone wolf.

 _Like Jake_.

Hope shook her head. She didn't want to waste another moment speculating on what Jake's explanation would be. He said he would tell her when they meet next and so she would wait.

She set her mind back to reading her book, enjoying the library's ambiance for the silence and peace it offered her so she could –

THUNK! Two manicured hands slammed down on the table in front of her making her jump. Hope looked up to see Lizzie narrowing her eyes at her.

"What's going on with my mom and your dad?" Hope's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"What?"

"I mean, what's my mother really doing in New Orleans? She says she's doing research but every time I call her she just happens to be at _your_ place." Lizzie pulled out a chair across from Hope and sat down with her arms crossed on the table. "What's that about?" Hope shrugged.

"Well, I know that Ms. Forbes is helping my Dad out while he breaks his sire bond with me. It's not exactly the smoothest process and support goes a long way. Honestly, I wish I could be there but he doesn't want me to see him like that and told me to stay in school. Can you believe that?"

"I'm sorry, when did we decide to shift from my problem to yours? Oh wait, we didn't," Lizzie stated in an icy tone Hope rolled her eyes as she continued. "I asked Dad about all this 'research' Mom's doing in that city and he started acting all kinds of shady."

"So why are you talking to ME about this?"

"Something is going on that no one wants to tell me about," Lizzie said, leaning closer. "Thought your Dad the super villain might be the one who keeps a tab on everything going on in your city, including what my mother's up to." Hope narrowed her eyes at her and returned to her book.

"Sorry, can't help you."

"Wha–!" Lizzie scoffed in indignation at Hope's decision to ignore her when someone joined them.

"Lizzie, there you are," Josie's anxious eyes met her sister's as she stood next to her. "I just spoke to mom." Lizzie tilted her head lazily at her twin.

"Was she as forthcoming as Dad was when you asked her about her work in New Orleans?"

"Actually, she sounded stressed." Josie took a seat next to Lizzie's and Hope muttered under her breath about her ill-fated plan to find peace and quiet to read in the library. "But yeah, I did confront her about what she was doing there."

"And?" Lizzie urged. Even Hope's face had lifted up to pay attention.

"She said… she's looking to open a sub-division of our school there in New Orleans because of all the supernatural population there," Josie said, looking unconvinced all the same.

"Huh?" Lizzie raised an eyebrow and Hope laughed dryly.

"Great," Hope said clasping her hands together. "Maybe I can go _there_ instead and not have you two interrupting my reading time." Lizzie ignored her and turned to Josie.

"Are you sure?" She asked her sister. Hope scoffed and shook her head at them.

"WHY are you two obsessing over this?" She asked, slamming her book shut. "Ms. Forbes travels _all_ the time!"

"Because Dad is being weird about it and Mom keeps dodging the topic!" Lizzie retorted.

"Not to mention the thing with your dad and our mom," Josie added.

"Wait, what?" Lizzie and Hope responded at the same time when a shushing sound came from the other end of the library. Three pairs of eyes turned to the werewolf sitting at the corner table with a flustered look.

"Some of us are trying to study in the library," he snarled at them.

"Join the club," Hope grumbled and Lizzie stood up.

"I suggest you take your books and your supernatural hearing somewhere else so we girls can continue our _very_ important conversation. We surely don't want to come in the way of your education, at least whatever little is making it into your little wolf brain," she said with a plastic smile on her face. The boy growled at her but began to gather his things anyway without putting up a fight, proceeding to move out of the library. Satisfied with that, Lizzie sat back down.

"Now that _that_ is out of the way, let me be sure I wasn't hearing things when you said that thing you said earlier, Jo," Lizzie grimaced at her sister. " _Our_ mom?" Josie hesitantly nodded at her. "And _her_ dad?" she added, gesturing at Hope who was rolling her eyes. "No way… they don't have a _thing_!"

"I can't believe I'm saying this but I have to agree with Lizzie here," Hope said frowning and Lizzie scowled at her. "Your mom's with Cory, Josie, how can you say that?"

"I didn't say they were having an affair," Josie said with a frown. "I just meant they have a history of sorts from Klaus Mikaelson's time in Mystic Falls. They're probably just friends and that's why I suspect Hope's Dad is helping our Mom with something while she helps him with sire bond thing or whatever."

"Jo, how do you even know about…" Lizzie cleared her throat like she was having difficulty saying the words, "… about _them_?"

"Do you remember that time when we were eleven and we happened to find that diamond bracelet in Mom's jewelry box? The one you were convinced you needed to wear with your Halloween costume?"

"It made my Queen Elizabeth zombie look more authentic and I won't apologize for it." Lizzie crossed her arms and held her head high. "Just because it was a gift from some guy who was crushing on Mom she didn't let me…" Her jaw dropped mid sentence and Hope's eyes went wide. Josie sighed.

"I didn't know then but I asked about it a couple years later when it came up while Mom and I were looking at some old pictures," Josie's eyes moved from her sister's to Hope's. "It was a gift from your father, Hope."

The Tribrid leaned back in her chair and took a deep breath. "Wow. I guess… I knew they were friends at some level but never really thought about anything beyond that." Lizzie groaned, rolling her eyes and turning to her twin.

"Okay, so THAT little bombshell aside, I think we're drifting from the main topic." Lizzie pointed a well manicured finger at Hope, "You need to ask your Dad what's going on."

"Oh, I'm going to be asking him quite a few things," Hope said with a short laugh. "Unfortunately, my Aunt Freya says he's unavailable for the moment so I'll only get a chance to talk to him once I go home for the weekend."

"The weekend," Lizzie repeated. "You mean I have to wait a whole DAY before knowing you have anything helpful to tell me?"

"Lizzie! Come on," Josie frowned at her sister and addressed Hope. "Just let us know if you can find out anything, okay?" Hope pursed her lips together and nodded at her. Lizzie then stepped away from the table.

"Great, I'm going to bed," she announced and pulled her sister by the hand. "Come on, Josie, let's go." Josie shot an apologetic smile at Hope and let Lizzie lead her out of the Study Hall. Hope shook her head and opened up the book she had been reading, unable to see the words with all the distractions on her mind.

Looks like Jake isn't the only one who's going to be facing her barrage of questions this weekend.

* * *

Three blonde women stood in the Abattoir atrium, each sharing one thing in common: a special relationship with the man who was currently in the basement, roaring in pain; his screams unheard to the outside world with Freya's safety measures fortunately still being in place. Caroline restlessly straightened out her teal floral dress that she'd hurriedly thrown on along with a jean jacket before coming here.

She would be lying if she said she wasn't worried about Klaus but the look on his two sister's faces made her fear that things were worse than Freya had let on.

"How is he?' Caroline asked softly. Freya looked at her, her hand resting on her baby bump.

"Not any better since we talked. Marcel is with him right now."

"As much as I hate to admit," Rebekah said, her tone slightly hesitant, "I was hoping that seeing you might just calm Nik down a bit." Caroline shook her head.

"I already told Freya, he's not very happy with me at the moment," Caroline stated with a dry laugh. "But… I'm willing to try anyway."

"Caroline, he understands about your daughters…" Freya started.

"I convinced Ric to let them come here tomorrow," Caroline said suddenly. "With Hope." Both sisters looked at her, wide-eyed. Freya looked happy but Rebekah's face reflected more of surprise.

"Wow," the blonde Original muttered.

"Are you sure about this, Caroline –"

"Now now Freya," Rebekah interrupted, putting an arm around Caroline and slowly pushing her in the general direction of the basement. "Caroline's made up her mind so let's not talk her out of it." Freya followed behind them and Caroline tried to shake Rebekah's grip off but she was too strong.

"I can walk, you know," Caroline sneered at her as she roughly guided her down the stairs. They stopped when they caught sight of Marcel, who was standing outside the door with the barred window. Caroline was about to throw some insults along Rebekah's way when she heard the blood-curdling roars.

 _Klaus_. The sound sent a painful chill throughout her body. Marcel walked up to her.

"He's all yours now," he said. He nodded at the other two women and flashed away. Caroline's eyes flickered to Rebekah before she took a few anxious steps towards the source of the terrible cries.

She looked through the bars, her eyes filled with worry and a semblance of fear for what she was about to witness. Her attention first went to the floor where his clothes lay shredded but his modesty blanket was nearby and seemed intact, albeit covered in what, to her horror, looked like large blood stains. That's when she noticed the furry body crouched in a dark corner.

He was in full wolf form but even in that state she could see it was bad. His fur was a mess and he appeared to be injured, signs of bleeding all over his body. His physical weakness was obvious from the way he came out of the corner and paced the cell. He didn't appear to have noticed her.

"He's been turning for close to twenty-four hours now without a single break," Rebekah said softly, standing next to her. Caroline looked at her and noticed there were tears in her eyes. "Nik was never great at managing his temper on a regular day so expect the worst."

"She's right," Freya confirmed before Caroline could ask what Rebekah meant. "The Hollow feeds on anger so he might behave differently depending on how badly he has been affected."

"Well, that's encouraging," Caroline muttered. She brought her head closer to the window. "Klaus?" she gently called out to him.

The wolf's face instantly snapped to the sound of her voice. He started with a growl and then began to snip at her violently, his eyes flashing electric blue.

But almost immediately after, he visibly relaxed, his growls restrained as he began to quiet down. Caroline raised her eyebrows and looked at the Mikaelson sisters. "Did that seem too easy to you?"

"He's not calm yet, he's just surprised," Freya explained. "He had responded to us in a similar way when we tried talking to him at first."

"Klaus?" Caroline called out to him again, more softly this time. "Are you okay?"

The wolf didn't respond to her voice but howled and whimpered as it began its transformation back into human form. Caroline frowned and Freya shook her head.

"He's been doing this all day," she said sadly.

"He's in pain," Caroline gasped, unable to take her eyes off him.

"I can't watch this anymore," Rebekah said, stepping away from the door and proceeding to walk away.

Caroline took a deep breath.

She had an idea.

It was a ridiculously crazy one, maybe even reckless.

But in a split-second she made the decision to trust her instincts and go through with it anyway.

Without any warning to the Mikaelson sisters, she unlocked the cell door and flashed in, latching it shut behind her.

"CAROLINE!" Freya yelled.

"What the BLOODY HELL are you doing?" She felt Rebekah hiss at her through the barred window behind her as she leaned against the door.

"You both should get some rest," Caroline said, feeling calmer than she thought. Her eyes were trained on the semi-wolf form curled up on a blanket that was still in the process of changing. "I can take it from here," she assured them.

"Caroline, I didn't call you here so that I could get to be the lucky one to call Alaric Saltzman and inform him I'm responsible for the death of his children's mother," Freya chided in a low voice.

"I'll be fine…" she whispered, still not taking her eyes off the wolf form that was slowly starting to look more and more like Klaus.

It was almost magical to watch and even though she has witnessed it many times before with Tyler, this felt different somehow.

She was strangely… entranced by it.

"You don't understand," Freya urged. "I can't use my magic to protect you in there. Klaus is in a vulnerable state where he may not have full control and might really hurt you."

"And then he'll kill _us_ for letting you in there with him," Rebekah muttered.

Caroline turned away from Klaus momentarily and looked back at Rebekah and Freya through the bars, filled with an inexplicable confidence.

"He won't hurt me."

Caroline shifted her focus back to Klaus and the two sisters looked on helplessly in horror as she slowly walked towards their brother, whose body had completely changed back. He was crouched over in a ball on the floor, shivers vibrating off him every few seconds. Caroline couldn't see his face as he was facing the wall away from her.

"Klaus?" she said his name softly and saw his face shift slightly in response. He still kept his head bowed down and didn't turn to look at her.

He continued to tremble and Caroline couldn't be sure if it was chills from the Hollow magic or if his body was getting weaker in general. She spotted his blanket lying on the side a little further away and slowly went to pick it up, not taking her eyes off his form in case he reacted. She then walked back to him and kneeled down to put the blanket around him.

That's when she saw his face and nearly cried out.

Klaus looked completely drained, like he was on the verge of death. His ocean blue eyes now appeared lifeless as they locked with her sad ones.

On getting a closer look, Caroline realized he was in a worse state than she had thought. Her face crinkled with worry as the absence of all his wolf fur brought to full view all the cuts and bruises that had earlier gone unseen.

She swallowed; it physically hurt her to see him like this.

Caroline opened up the blanket behind him, his tortured eyes not having left hers for a second since they made contact. She gently draped the sheet around his body and without giving it a second thought, pulled him closer to her chest and enveloped him in a heartfelt hug.

Her arms wrapped securely around him, she shot a glance at Rebekah and Freya who were still watching in shock through the cell window and gave a small reassuring nod. They smiled, a look of relief spreading across their faces.

"Go," Caroline mouthed at Rebekah, knowing she could see her. "It's okay… we'll be okay," she whispered under her breath as she rubbed soothing strokes on Klaus' trembling back.

Caroline hadn't taken her eyes off Rebekah as she spoke and Rebekah came to understand those reassuring words were as much for her as it was for her brother. The blonde Original relayed the message to Freya and nodded at Caroline before she flashed them both away, leaving her alone with the man in her arms.

When Caroline hugged Klaus, he had stiffened at first but fortunately seemed to relax almost instantly after in her arms. She was relieved to see he wasn't even shivering as much anymore but her eyes welled up as she felt her jacket sleeves dampen from what she realized were his tears seeping into them. They stayed like that a while, Caroline softly rocking back and forth in an effort to soothe his tense body.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed, but Klaus slowly raised his head and she loosened her arms around him as he backed out of her embrace.

"It's gone," he said, his voice a hoarse whisper.

Caroline's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What?"

"The sire bond…it's broken," he said, rubbing his eyes. "It has been for a while now."

"Then why did you keep turning…"

"I couldn't stop…the Hollow didn't _let_ me stop…" he rasped through gritted teeth, his frustration evident in his voice. He looked straight at Caroline, gingerly taking her hands in his rough, calloused ones. "You brought me back Caroline… again." She gave him a sad smile, not speaking for a few moments before her curiosity kicked in.

"Klaus… how do you _know_ when the sire bond is broken? Tyler had told me that you just know… he couldn't really explain it…" Klaus absently rubbed the back of his neck as he tried to put the feeling into words for her.

"I can feel… its absence," he started to explain. "… Like a mild pressure point at the back of my head that was there all this while and is no longer there. Now I just feel relieved, I feel free… or at the very least much better anyway."

Caroline let out a small laugh making Klaus raise his eyebrows. " _This_ is you feeling better?" she teased, gesturing at his worn-out state. A tiny smile tugged at the corner of Klaus' mouth.

"Well, I am naked so one doesn't get much freer than that," he drawled, his trademark smirk flashing at her.

"Klaus…"

"It's nothing you haven't seen before, sweetheart," he said, innocently.

Caroline felt like there was cotton in her throat. His current state of undress had completely slipped mind… that is, until he decided to remind her in a way that definitely wasn't innocent.

Just as she felt her cheeks began to grow warm, she promptly stood up and put out her hand. 'Come on, you REALLY need to rest. And don't even THINK about letting that blanket drop."

Klaus looked up at her and Caroline could see his blue eyes starting to show signs of life as his body began to heal ever so slowly. He silently nodded at her but she could tell he was holding back a smile.

He secured the sheet around his waist, not taking his roguish eyes off her for a second as he did so. He finally took her hand and Caroline tried hard not to think about how good it felt in her own.

* * *

_Klaus was running, his long dirty-blonde hair whipping about behind him as he did. It was almost dark and all he could see were the trees that brushed past him as he kept moving, the sound of his racing heart mingling with the rustle of the leaves in his ears. His fingers pricked themselves on the thorny bushes he brushed past, leaving un-healed cuts on them that he didn't care much for._

_As he continued to dart through the forest, he became quite certain that his father hadn't sent him out here on a hunt. Why was he here? Where were his brothers? He could have sworn he had come this way before._

_One thing he felt sure of was that he wasn't running for his life. He wasn't running to seek temporary refuge from his father's continued barrage of abuse._

_No, this time he felt like… he was running towards something._

_Or someone…_

_Before he could take a moment to ponder over that thought, he heard the most melodious laugh he had ever heard ring out from ahead of him; again something eerily familiar to him except in the most beautiful way. He came to a halt to see the back of a woman in a dress as blue as the heavens above him._

_Her lusciously long golden hair extended beyond her lower waist and appeared to glow from capturing the last bits of daytime light that remained in the sky. Her silky waves cascaded down her slim back, portions of which had been braided into the most intricate patterns on her head in ways that Klaus couldn't put into words._

_He decided he would make it his life's mission to find the perfect flowers to capture her visage onto the animal skins he had back home. Just then the woman turned around and Klaus felt the breath get kicked out of him._

_Caroline's smiling face looked back at him and she was positively glowing. "Come along Niklaus, isn't the chase always the fun part?" Klaus laughed and caught up with her, turning her around to face him and smoothly sliding his arms around her waist._

" _Caught you," he said quietly, their faces now only inches away from each other._

" _Yes, you did," she whispered with a smile, her bright blue eyes never leaving his. Klaus leaned in Caroline followed, their lips almost touching. Klaus could feel her excited pants of breath tease his chin and at this point he became quite aware that this was all a dream. What he couldn't explain was how it felt so real; how he could even sense her scent_ …

Klaus opened his eyes, immediately realizing how his dream had blurred into real life. Across him on the other side of the bed, Caroline lay fast asleep. Klaus couldn't help but smile; waking up in the morning to the sight of a sleeping Caroline was something he could get used to.

 _Maybe someday…in a year or even in a century_. The words replayed in his head from the last time he had told them to her, just before he left Mystic Falls for New Orleans. But for now, he would respect her wishes and keep his distance; something which Klaus thought was particularly funny considering their current position.

He watched her through his sleep addled eyes, unable to help feeling his undead heart filling up with an emotion he couldn't put his finger on.

Caroline was hugging her jean jacket tightly as she slept on the extreme edge of the bed, leaving her creamy shoulders bare. The rays of the early morning sun gave her body a glow that Klaus was tempted to capture on his canvas. Alas he would have to make do with simply committing it to his memory for now.

He longed to reach out and touch her soft looking skin but he held back; he didn't want to wake her just yet. He wanted to indulge in this moment for as long as possible where he could study every visible freckle on her face, observe the way her short blonde tresses splayed across the pillow, memorize the exact shade of pink her mouth took on in its natural form…the very same mouth that would be biting his head off if she knew he was looking at her like this.

He shifted slightly, only then becoming aware of how much his body still ached after the beating it had taken over the last twenty-four hours.

He also realized he was very naked.

He peeked under the covers for a quick confirmation and then looked to his side to see that Caroline was now very much awake, her eyes widened in mild shock. She seemed to have come to the same realization as well and slowly cleared her throat.

"Klaus…" she asked slowly, "Where are the pants I gave you to wear last night?" He shrugged.

"I was tired. Clearly I couldn't be bothered with putting them on after a very, very long day," he smirked at her. "You're one to complain; if you wanted to join me under the covers all you had to do was ask," he gestured at her lying on the edge of the bed with her hands clutching the ends of the sheets. Caroline's face turned beet red and she instantly let go.

"Hilarious," she scoffed, narrowing her eyes at him and promptly sitting up in an attempt to shift his attention from the blush across her cheeks. "If you must know, I was very tired myself. I had a lot on my mind…" She cleared her throat again, making it clear she didn't want to expand on that. "How do you feel?"

"I had the most beautiful dream."

"Really? About what?" Caroline looked at him curiously, no doubt wondering what a thousand year old Original Hybrid could possibly have nice dreams about. "That must have been a welcome change from all the nightmares lately." She tilted her head at him.

"It most certainly was, love."

"That doesn't answer my question. Also, it would be _really_ great if you finally decided to put on those pants I mentioned earlier." She raised an eyebrow at Klaus and nodded towards the black jeans dangling off the edge at the foot of the bed.

Klaus' crimson lips curved into an almost impish grin as he unceremoniously bent forward to retrieve the pants, mildly aware that his blanket had slid down to his lower waist as he did so. He heard Caroline let out a shriek and saw her she whip away from him to face the window.

"God! Klaus, a little heads-up next time?"

"Next time?" he teased, chuckling as he put on his pants and Caroline groaned. She really was adorable when she was flustered.

"You know what I mean," she muttered, still not turning to look at him. "Are you decent yet?" she asked, impatience in her voice.

"I always am, love," he responded, grimacing as he tried to stand. "It would be nicer if you could take a look into my closet and get me a shirt to wear as well." He sat back on the bed resting against the headboard, realizing it was useless to try and move about without having healed fully. He looked up to see Caroline had already flashed back from his adjoining closet and tossed a grey Henley at him.

"That was quick," Klaus looked pointedly at Caroline with raised eyebrows while pulling his shirt on.

"Yeah, well I didn't want you getting the wrong idea about me seeing you without a shirt." Klaus chuckled, his smile fading as he winced from the pain that followed. Caroline came and stood closer to him, her eyes running over what she could see of his still healing wounds.

"Does it hurt?" she asked softly, her brows furrowed in concentration as she gave his wounds a once-over.

"Not as much as it would have, hadn't you had the presence of mind to suggest human medical treatment while my weakened speed healing got a chance to catch up."

"Good," she said, suddenly plopping herself in front of him and leaning over him across his chest, putting Klaus's face in direct view of her creamy neck. In a split second, Klaus was engulfed in her scent and it evoked a ripple of excitement throughout his body. His eyes went wide and before he could wonder what was happening, he saw she was simply reaching for her jacket on the other side of the bed.

He really had figure out a way to not let her close proximity affect him so much.

He watched as she shrugged on her jacket and flipped her hair, trying to pat her long bob into place. At that moment, it became clear to Klaus that it's not just close proximity he had to worry about. He watched as she stood in front of him and bit her lower lip, tilting her head at him.

"So I'm curious… seriously, what did you dream about?" He smirked at her.

"Well, love, let's just say it was perfect," he said, looking at her with a glint in his eye that made Caroline narrow her eyes at him. Her lips parted slightly with the hint of a smile and Klaus had to bite back a growl.

The abrupt sound of knocking burst his bubble and he saw Caroline's eyes widen in surprise. Before Klaus could respond, she flashed away from him to stand right next to the window. A voice came from the other side of the door.

"Dad? Can I come in?" Klaus' eyes darted to Caroline's.

"Hope?" he called out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How was that for a comeback chapter! Hope you guys had fun and yes please, I'm always looking forward to hearing from you guys so spill!
> 
> Did you like all the little Easter eggs I hid in there? Also, in case you're wondering, I know Caroline threw the diamond bracelet back at Klaus but I like to think it made it's way back to her before he died. Also canon is where Josie is the twin who seems to know more about Klaroline that Hope or Lizzie so I enjoyed working that in as well. Plus, the twins don't know about the Merge yet. Also, I love writing mean Lizzie because I'm SO not like that in real life. It's actually kinda freeing!
> 
> I absolutely enjoyed writing those raw emotional moments between Caroline and Klaus in this one - definitely something powerful such as this to strengthen their bond.
> 
> The Klaus dream actually gave me a chance to write Pre-Original!KC without actually getting into writing another story (err, I'm not that talented)
> 
> Anyway, guess we'll be catching up every week now. Let me know what you think and as always, stay safe! Cheers.


	22. Plans and Surprises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hope comes home and Caroline gets more than one surprise. Jake is finally ready to talk to Hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me just say how unbelievable the response has been after returning to the story post the Mid-season break (175 Kudos, wow)! Honestly I had considered extending my break for another month because October is deadly for me work-wise but all the positive vibes from you guys convinced me I could still make it work! Well, at least here's hoping I can keep it up, haha.
> 
> As a result, I've been running on low sleep and exhaustion is piling up from working non-stop so please pardon any weird typos you may come across. Honestly, this chapter could have come out a little sooner but my city was suddenly hit by the most insane lightning storm ever and I had to take a break to watch nature's fireworks. Also, I needed a power nap to finish the final edit on the last scene.
> 
> Okay, enough noting. This chapter is a bit on the shorter side but as always there's a lot of important conversations that happen. Enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: TVD ain't mine.

Klaus frowned and Caroline glanced at her watch. _She's early_ , she mouthed at him.

"Come in, sweetheart," he said with a smirk, ignoring Caroline's indignant glare.

"Hey Dad, I –" Hope stopped short upon noticing Caroline in the room. "Ms. Forbes?"

"Hi, Hope." Caroline smiled, giving her an awkward and almost apologetic wave. Hope's gaze darted between the two of them and she narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

"Hang on," she said, now addressing Caroline, "You're _here_?" Caroline hesitated and glanced at Klaus who decided to clear the air.

"Sweetheart, Ms. Forbes here was the one who supported me through my last few painful rounds of turning to break the sire bond. She simply stayed overnight to make sure I was okay."

"Oh. Okay…" Hope nodded slowly, still not looking completely convinced. She turned to Caroline, "Thank you… for that, Ms. Forbes."

"You know, Hope, we're not at school. It's okay to call me Caroline," she said, tilting her head at her. Hope coughed out a laugh.

"Sorry, force of habit. Wouldn't want the other students to think you hold some kind of bias towards me, right?" Hope said with a cheeky grin.

"Well, we wouldn't want that," Klaus commented with a smirk, his eyes trained on Caroline who looked like she was trying to glare at him without Hope noticing.

"Right!" Caroline began to laugh lightly when her smile suddenly shifted. Klaus watched as her eyebrows furrowed and a puzzled look came on her pretty face. "Hope," she addressed his daughter. "Where are Lizzie & Josie?"

"They're back at the school. Why?" Caroline scoffed.

"Unbelievable. So Ric decided not to send them with you and he didn't even bother to tell me," she said shaking her head furiously. "I mean, seriously –" she reached into her bag on the table and stopped abruptly. "Crap, my phone's at home." She looked up at the two Mikaelsons who were watching her curiously. "I have to go," she stated, slinging the bag on her shoulder and hurrying towards the door.

"Caroline, you can use my phone if you'd like to –" Klaus started.

"I need to get back," she broke him off. "Get better, Klaus. I'll see you, Hope." She smiled at them and before Klaus could react, she was gone. Slightly disconcerted by her rushed exit, Klaus shifted his focus to his daughter who was now sitting next to him on his bed.

"What was _that_ all about?" Hope asked and he pressed his lips in a straight line.

"Ms. Forbes is just worried about her children," he explained, "It was a tough night and she probably left her phone at the hotel in her hurry to get here."

"Oh, I'm going to get back to you on THAT…" Hope looked at him pointedly and Klaus gave her a puzzled look. "But no, I mean what was that about Lizzie and Josie?" She clarified. Klaus started to explain but Hope spoke before he could.

"Does this have anything to do with the fact that you still have part of the Hollow inside you?" She crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows questioningly at her father as he looked back at her in surprise.

"Marcel told you." Klaus let out a frustrated huff. "I specifically told him not to…"

"Don't be mad at him, Dad," Hope squeezed Klaus' hand gently. "He only just told me when I called him on the way here since you were unavailable for the last twenty four hours and I was worried." Klaus watched his daughter's face turn into a grimace as she noticed the bruises across his arms. Her worried eyes shifted to his tired ones. "You're not healing," she said, her words more of a statement than a question. "Is this because of the Hollow?" Klaus nodded.

"Don't fret, my littlest wolf," He could see the concern on her face and gently stroked her hair. "It is but a very small part of the Hollow magic that still remains in me."

"If it's such a small part, why does it affect you so badly?" Hope's voice rose slightly and she gestured at his slowly healing injuries. "Dad, how do we know this is not worse than we think?"

"Funny, Marcel happened to have the very same question."

"I'm serious, Dad! You could DIE!" Hope exclaimed and tears suddenly began to stream down her face. Klaus gingerly sat up and put his arms on her shoulders.

"Hey, sweetheart, look at me," he spoke gently and wiped her tears with his thumbs as her eyes shot up to his. "I know what I'm doing little one. You're just going to have to trust me. It isn't as bad as it seems, I simply had a really long day yesterday."

"But _look_ at you, Dad," Hope whimpered. "That tiny bit of magic – as you claim it to be – has you bound to this bed, lying in pain while you wait for your wounds to heal in real time." Klaus sighed.

"Hope, the magic is indeed small but its power reaches its peak when my body is most vulnerable; for instance," he explained, "…when I'm mid-transformation or while I'm asleep. Messing with my healing is just the magic's way of keeping me weak enough for it to overpower." Hope's eyebrows creased as she tried to understand what he was saying.

"I guess…that makes sense," she grumbled. Klaus gently took her hands in his.

"I'm just tired, sweetheart," he assured his daughter. "Besides, the sire bond is already broken which means no more nights spent turning and no more pain after this. All I need to do now…is rest and heal."

"Yeah, but we still need to get the Hollow out of you, right?"

"Yes, but it's not an immediate danger for now –"

"That's why Caroline asked for Josie and Lizzie…" Hope shook her head, realization dawning upon her.

"It doesn't matter," Klaus sighed. "Clearly Ric didn't want his daughters involved and as a father I understand his decision. Freya will find another way –"

"Dad, I can help."

"ABSOLUTELY not."

"You promised I could!"

"I remember what it was like seeing you being consumed by the dark magic, Hope," Klaus growled as she looked back at him, her eyes wide in indignation. "And I have no interest in putting you at the risk of having to face that again."

"Yeah, and you think I liked it any better when I had to watch _you_ being destroyed by it? And then what, we just ignore the fact that you DIED because of it?!"

"It's not the same, Hope."

"Do you hear the whispers?" she asked suddenly.

Klaus swallowed. He remembered it like it was yesterday; the constant feeling of cold dread swirling through his body… the murmurs of a thousand voices haunting him… his worst memories coming to the forefront of his mind and making him do crazy things.

Fortunately, it was not something he had to deal with this time around.

"No," Klaus said quietly. "No whispers and no dark veins on my body. That's a good sign, don't you think?" He tilted his head at Hope, looking to cheer her up but she still looked unsure about the whole thing. She sighed, shaking her head and running her hands over some of the abrasions on his arms.

"Do they still hurt?" Hope asked quietly.

Klaus didn't want to lie to his daughter.

"Yes."

Hope continued to look at his wounds, her gaze only pausing over the few that were dressed.

"Never thought I'd see the day you wore bandages," she commented, spotting a few more bandaged spots on Klaus' other arm. "Good decision, at least till your healing kicks in."

"It was Ms. Forbes' idea actually," Klaus pointed out with a small smile. "She figured doing something was better than waiting for my body to catch up." On mentioning Caroline, Klaus noticed Hope's eyes shift up to his with a strange look on her face.

"Dad, I have to ask… what _exactly_ is the deal with you and Ms. Forbes?"

Klaus raised his eyebrows at her, waiting for her to elaborate and she explained.

"I know you guys have been friends for a while but has there even been… anything more than that?"

Klaus smiled at his daughter; he supposed this was a conversation that was bound to happen some day.

"Can I ask what brought this on, sweetheart?"

"Nothing, just…" Hope shrugged. "The Saltzman twins were going on the other day about finding some bracelet belonging to their mom that was apparently a gift from a guy with a crush and one of them subsequently found out it was you." Klaus burst out laughing and Hope looked at him confused.

"Did she say 'a guy with a _crush'_?" Klaus laughed. "Was that how Caroline's daughters defined it?"

"Well, knowing Lizzie, I'm sure there was _tremendous_ paraphrasing involved." Klaus' laughter slowly died down and he took a deep breath as he tried to find the right words to answer his daughter's question.

"Ms. Forbes was someone special to me, back from my time in Mystic Falls so long ago… and I suppose she will always have a place in my heart," he started and looked into his daughter's eyes. "Her friendship means a lot to me." From the way he left it at that, Hope seemed to understand there he didn't wish to dwell on it any further. She looked away and frowned in thought.

"I didn't know Ms. Forbes was here though," she said. Klaus opened his mouth and shut it, unsure from Hope's expression where she was going with this and why.

"Well, as you know she was in town this week and she wanted to help out while she was here. We're…"

Klaus paused and cleared his throat. Defining his relationship with Caroline was hard enough in his head let alone to his daughter.

Moreover, Caroline didn't want her kids or any of the students at school knowing about the Merge so he had to watch what he chose to disclose to her.

"Like I said," he clarified, "Caroline and I have known each other a long time and I trust her more than most people –"

"No, no, that's not what I meant. I didn't know she was _here_ here." Klaus stared at his daughter.

"Is that supposed to be teen-speak for something, Hope, because I quite literally just heard you say the same thing twice." Hope groaned impatiently.

"No, I mean, I thought she was going to be at her hotel."

"How does it matter?" Klaus asked, slightly irked as he began to feel that he was missing something.

"Lizzie and Josie didn't come with me but someone else did," Hope explained, "… someone who was supposed to meet her at the hotel." Klaus frowned at her.

"Who?"

* * *

It wasn't a very long drive from the Abattoir to her hotel to begin with, but Caroline always felt time fly by much faster than usual when her mind was on over-drive.

She could get over the fact that she left her phone at home but she couldn't believe she hadn't realized she didn't have it on her until now. What if her girls were in trouble and had tried to contact her? What if Ric had found out something important about the Merge and needed to let her know? Had she really gotten so caught up in all the Mikaelson madness that it had turned her brain into mush and made her forget the important things in her life? At that point a wide range of feelings began to creep in on her from all directions.

She felt paranoid about her kids and hoped they were safe.

She felt anger towards Ric for not sending them to her.

She felt insecure – she couldn't help that part of her cropping up every once in a while when she was stressed – about her role as a mother.

 _A responsible one would never have let this happen, would never have stopped thinking about her kids for one moment_ , the voice in her head taunted.

She felt an inexplicable guilt on letting herself end up asleep on Klaus' bed again and feeling way too comfortable in it. Of course _she_ knew nothing happened but that didn't seem to ease the knot in her stomach. Cory deserved better and she needed to work harder.

She felt sadness at the thought that her feelings – for lack of a better term – for Klaus may be what were messing with her priorities. She couldn't deny that being around him affected her in ways that she wasn't altogether ready to acknowledge. At times it felt like it physically hurt to be in his orbit; like her heart was ready to explode and she had to constantly focus her energy on repeatedly reinforcing it just so that it didn't.

She felt frustrated with herself…she was so sure she was past all of this. She had gotten along perfectly fine without having met or spoken to him over long periods of time and now here he was back from the dead and making her rethink everything.

She couldn't help that tiny part of her that made her wonder, was this a second chance for him… or for her?

Was it even going to matter if she ended up giving up her life to save her children from the Merge?

The irony of it all lay in the fact that all this effort that she took to keep her mind off Klaus was probably what kept him floating around and taking up space in her head.

She parked her car and stepped into the hotel. She threw a quick smile at the receptionist who looked like she was starting to say something but Caroline was in a hurry and had already hopped up the stairs so she could skip any polite hospitality small talk and get to her phone as soon as possible.

She continued to take the last flight of stairs before getting to her floor and she shook her head. She decided that all this over-thinking was ridiculous and at this point she was just happy enough for the week to be over with. She could leave all this behind her and go home to be with –

She stopped in front of her door, her eyes wide.

"Cory?!"

Caroline looked on in surprise as she spotted her boyfriend sitting on the floor next to her hotel room door. She absently wondered if that was even allowed and if maybe this was what the receptionist was trying to communicate to her. Her mouth was agape as she stared at Cory who simply clutched the bouquet of white peonies that were next to him and stood up slowly, smiling sheepishly at her.

"Hey, Care."

A smile spread across Caroline's face and she instantly felt the stress from all the confusion in her head melting away. She had almost forgotten about the calming effect that Cory had on her, one of the many things that had attracted her to him. She ran straight into his arms and wrapped him in a tight hug.

"God, I've missed you," she whispered into his shoulder and felt him laugh lightly in response. She slowly let go of him and he handed over the flowers to her with a smile, knowing peonies were her favorite.

She took in the scent of the flowers with a smile before they snapped her back to reality and she had to ask the obvious.

"Cory, what are you doing here?"

He simply shrugged, continuing to flash his boyish smile at her.

"As it turns out, I missed you too," he said matter-of-factly and she raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to elaborate. "Care, you've been out of town and I had a busy week at work – and I know that tends to happen sometimes in our lines of work – but not hearing your voice for so long, I just…I knew I had to see you." Caroline tilted her head at him with a smile, leaning in to kiss him sweetly.

"Let's go inside, shall we? I really need to go yell at Ric first."

* * *

Hope walked down the stairs to get her bags – she had dropped them there and made a beeline to her father's room as soon as she arrived, not caring about anything else but making sure he was okay.

What took her by surprise was when she saw Jake standing there next to her things, looking like he had been waiting for her to show up all this while.

"You're still here?" Hope asked, raising her eyebrows.

The ride home from Mystic Falls had felt longer than ever this time around. Her verbal exchange with Jake had been kept to the bare minimum and the fact that Cory was in the car with them didn't really help. Jake's aloof behavior was precisely why she hadn't expected to see him come and confront her so soon.

"Can we talk?" Jake asked in a scratchy voice, looking extremely uncomfortable. His words were heavy, like it took a lot of effort for him to get the words out.

"What, _now_?"

"Why not?" Clearly, it appeared like Jake needed to get things off his chest as soon as possible but she simply shook her head.

"Jake, I just got here. I want to spend time with my Dad," she stated, her tone almost turning apologetic from the way he immediately seemed to realize he might be overstepping her family time.

"Right, of course. I didn't… sorry."

"It's fine."

"I'll just–" He shook his head and began to turn away.

"No, wait!"

Hope reached out and grabbed his arm, surprising both of them. Jake's eyes flickered to her hand on his elbow before noticing she was smiling at him.

"Meet me like you did the last time," she said, referring to the night of her birthday when he had come to visit on her balcony. She spoke in a hushed voice even though she was sure that if anyone in the house wanted to hear what she was saying, they could. "By then things will be a little less busy in the house and we can actually talk." She dropped her hold on him and began to awkwardly twiddle her thumbs, suddenly feeling like she had no idea what to do with her hands. "I _do_ want to talk…" she reassured him and he smiled at her.

"Okay."

* * *

"Good to know that Klaus Mikaelson lets you answer the phone."

"Ric, don't…" Caroline growled.

"I'm guessing you met Cory."

"Yes, he's here, I just got back from…" Caroline paused, not in the mood for more unnecessary judgment from Alaric. "Look, I left my phone at the hotel and now I'm back. Care to explain why our girls aren't here in the city right now like you told me they would be?"

"I… Listen, I had second thoughts about it, okay? And to be fair, I did try to call you so we could have a conversation about it before you found out this way…"

"Ric! I wouldn't have asked you to send the girls this very weekend unless the situation was time-sensitive!" Caroline groaned. "Do you realize that the longer we wait is more time for the Hollow in Klaus to develop and manifest in God only knows what form. He could be a danger to himself, to those around him… to Hope!"

"Hope will be fine; she's only there for the weekend and then she's back in school anyway." Caroline scoffed, suspecting where Alaric was going with this.

"You just want me to admit that it's not just Hope that I'm worried about," she accused. "Fine! I'm worried about Klaus too… because he is a friend and he's been through a _lot_ lately." Her voice was rising and she reminded herself to keep it down in case Cory overheard, even though he was inside and she was out on the balcony. "The Hollow has already gained enough power over his body to be able to slow down his supernatural healing."

"Look Caroline," Alaric's voice sounded tired. "Can we just have this conversation when you get back?" Caroline pressed her lips together tightly as she gave it a moment's thought.

"Fine."

When Caroline stomped back into the room after her phone call, Cory had just stepped out of the shower and changed into fresh clothes. His hair was still slightly damp and he had a bright smile on his face which dimmed slightly when he noticed the worry etched on her face. He walked up to her and put his arms on her shoulders.

"Everything okay, Care? What did Alaric have to say?" Caroline leaned into him and he pulled her into his embrace.

"Ugh, you smell so nice," she grumbled into his chest, "I just want to stay this way and not go out into the world." Cory chuckled and tilted her chin up to look at him.

"As great as that sounds, the Caroline I know is a force of nature that won't let _anything_ stop her." She smiled at him and he looked back at her earnestly. "Seriously, Caroline…what's wrong?"

 _God, he's just so sweet_ , she thought to herself. She broke out of his hold and stepped away, running her hands through her hair.

"Nothing really, I'm just a little annoyed that Ric decided not to send our girls here this weekend when we'd agreed that he would." She shook her head as she continued to vent. "Plus, he chose instead to focus on the fact that I happened to leave my phone here while I was out when that's a _completely_ normal thing that could happen to anyone –"

"You didn't have your phone with you?" Cory asked suddenly, stopping Caroline's rambling in its tracks.

"Erm…"

"That explains why I didn't get a response to any of my decoy messages before I came to surprise you," he hummed to himself in understanding and Caroline blinked at him. "…but wait, that was _last_ night."

She watched as realization dawned upon Cary and the inevitable questions began to come.

"You were out all night? What happened?"

She closed her eyes and swallowed. Covering up the supernatural aspects of her life was nothing new to Caroline but this was going to be tricky because of the other things that would be brought up to question.

Loyalty. Trust.

Fidelity.

There were certain truths that Caroline kept from Cory in order to keep him unaware of the mystical occurrences happening around him, but she _never_ lied to him. She decided she was just going to be honest with him about this – well, as much as she could be – and hope that he had the most trusting heart ever.

"I was at Hope's house… all night," Caroline started, not taking her eyes off him, "Actually I was just getting back from there this morning when I found you waiting for me here." Cory's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"But Hope was with me. Why would you need to be at her place when she's not –"

"Cory, just let me finish okay?" She raised her palms and stopped him short. He pursed his lips and simply nodded, waiting for her to continue.

She took a deep breath and began to explain.

"Do you remember when we went for Hope's birthday party last week and there was talk about someone who had come back from the dead?" Cory nodded again. "Well, they were actually referring to Hope's father. You see, he was… sick before and then… he got better." She paused briefly as she tried to find the right words. "But last night, he got _really_ sick again so I went to help him out. It was pretty bad so I ended up sticking around till this morning. And…that's pretty much it."

Caroline waited in bated breath, unsure whether he was going to respond by hitting her with a barrage of questions or by giving her the silent treatment on having kept the knowledge that she spent the night out to herself.

But to her utter surprise, Cory simply let out a heavy sigh and his face broke out into a relieved smile.

"Wow, Caroline Forbes, for a moment there you had me worried. Don't get me wrong I trust you like no other," he quickly added seeing Caroline about to protest, "I'm just glad you're okay."

Caroline breathed out a laugh and walked back into his arms. She leaned up slightly to drop a gentle kiss on his lips.

"And I… am glad you're here," she said, smiling against his lips. Just as she began to deepen the kiss, Cory suddenly broke away and looked at her questioningly.

"So Hope's father is…NOT dead?" He asked curiously and Caroline responded with an impatient smile.

"Nope," she said, popping the 'p' and waving his question off as she quickly pulled his face back to hers, only to have him break the kiss again a second later.

"But I specifically remember you telling me that Hope's father died last year," he insisted and that's when Caroline vaguely remembered mentioning it to him one time when Hope was having a particularly bad day and had come in to the office while she was on the phone with him.

 _God, why did he have to be such a good listener_?

She sighed, leaving her arms in place around Cory's neck as she once again tried to simplify things for her boyfriend without supernatural knowledge.

"Hope comes from a very… powerful family with a _lot_ of history. So the whole thing about her father's death or lack of it… that's a whole other story altogether and one that we _really_ don't need to get into." Caroline shrugged it off and slowly tugged at him to bring his lips back to hers again.

"But what does that even mean, did they fake his death or –"

"Oh my GOD Cory, can you please stop talking about Klaus Mikaelson while I'm trying to _kiss_ you?" Caroline let out a frustrated laugh that seemed to break Cory out of his inquisition bubble. He looked at her and began to apologize.

"I'm so sorry, honey. I was just curious," he said, squeezing her gently, "It just sounded like an interesting story and you know I love hearing those."

"I know, I'm sorry too," Caroline said biting her lower lip and leaning back to look into his bright blue eyes. "Look…I know that you sometimes come across things that seem strange and out of place. And I know I can be vague in my explanations a lot of the time but you're just going to have to trust me on this, okay?" He looked slightly hesitant and she continued. "Just trust that one day I'll tell you all about it and it will all make sense to you."

He pressed his lips together and gazed at her for a moment before he nodded. Caroline looked at him pointedly and gave him a teasing smile. "Now can we finally get back to making out in peace?"

That brought a wide smile back to Cory's face and Caroline loved how his eyes seemed to twinkle.

"That sounds amazing and we should definitely do more of that," Cory agreed with a small smirk. "But…" – Caroline raised her eyebrows at him curiously – "…since I'm here just for a day, I was actually hoping you can show me the sights. You know, take me around the city that's been your home for the past week." He leaned in and kissed her softly. "And then," he said kissing her again, "we can continue where we left off." Caroline laughed.

"That sounds like a GREAT plan."

"And I know how you feel about great plans," Cory teased and Caroline poked him, snuggling into his chest again.

"Thank you for reminding me how much I missed you," she whispered into his shirt. Her voice was so low she wasn't sure if Cory had heard her but it didn't matter.

She was the one who really needed to hear it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Going on theme with the chapter name I have to ask: what surprised you more? Cory's arrival? Ric's decision? Jake's reappearance? Something else entirely? Tell me, you know I love to hear from you guys!
> 
> I know there was a lot of Coraline in this chapter (yes, I'm calling it that lol) but I wanted to establish that Caroline's relationship isn't a flimsy one. It's actually quite healthy, well except for him not knowing she's a vampire and her constant Klaus flashbacks heh. What did you think of how she temporarily explained the Klaus story to him in the most non-supernatural way ever? I actually had fun with it :)
> 
> I want to ask you guys to leave reviews and share your love for the story in a more profound way but my eyes remain stay open much longer. So stay safe, stay happy and I'll see you next week! Cheers


	23. Problems and Solutions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caroline gives Cory a NOLA tour and Jake finally comes clean to Hope. Caroline returns to Mystic Falls and Ric tells her about a prospective problem at school. Klaus and Freya discuss back-up plans while Hope gets ideas of her own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all I want to say how BLOWN away I was by your responses from my last chapter and special special love to ones who started (or restarted in some cases) the story, followed along beautifully and told me all about it (you know who you are ;)) I can't stress on not only how special y'all made me feel but also the fact that it's great to know all the work I put into the story is paying off! I wanted to create the experience of TO's Season 6 and I'm super pumped that it reads that way! Thank you, thank you, thank you. You guys are the best!
> 
> Heads up, this chapter's a big one and there's quite a lot of information coming your way - things may get clearer, questions may get answered. Sorry to say there's no direct KC action happening in this one but it will still be worth it, I promise you.
> 
> Okay now I'll shut up so you guys can read.
> 
> Disclaimer: TVD, not mine at all. None of it, nope.

After days of alternating between morbid research to save her daughters' lives and stressful nights of watch duty with Klaus, all the while running on low sleep, Caroline was having the most beautiful day… so much that she almost managed to go most of the morning without being plagued once more with reminders of her possible death as a means to end the Gemini curse once and for all. Cory just happened to be the breath of fresh air that she needed and she found herself feeling grateful that he had decided to show up to be there with her.

Her boyfriend seemed to be incredibly eager to see the city. Having mentioned that he had never been here before and being a bit of History buff, his enthusiasm from exploring different corners of the Big Easy and unlocking the stories behind them were amusing for Caroline to watch.

"Did you know some of these buildings are up to three hundred years old?" he told her as they walked hand in hand down Bourbon Street. Caroline simply smiled at him; she did in fact know that the construction of some of the historical buildings went back three centuries… courtesy of a man who happened to be there when those very structures were built. It just happened to be one of the many things Klaus Mikaelson had brought up when he first took her on the promised tour of the city before his death.

Even as they sat at Café du Monde enjoying their coffee and beignets, Caroline couldn't help but remember the story Klaus had told her about how the sugar dusted treats first came into the city. She would have loved to see the look on Cory's face if she could have shared that little tidbit about her friend being present when those fluffy baked goods got introduced into the landscape of the city.

Except… she couldn't because of the whole supernatural aspect of things which Cory hadn't been made aware of just yet. And besides, the story seemed so personal to Klaus, it didn't feel like it was hers to tell in the first place.

They walked past Jackson Square and as much as she loved seeing the look of boyish glee on his face every time they passed a famous landmark, Caroline couldn't help but feel slightly jaded about the whole experience towards the end of it.

She absently wondered if this is what Klaus felt like while showing her things that he had probably seen a thousand times before. If he did he sure hadn't shown it on his face; she clearly remembered what looked like genuine enthusiasm to show her favorite city as he took her around and told her stories, like they were part of his childhood memories.

She supposed that's part of what he had meant by changing the perception of time when you're a vampire – with immortality it was like having to renew their lives every once in a while and creating, or in their case adding on, a new identity. You had to grow… evolve…

 _And some of us have to die_ …

So lost was she in her thoughts that it took her a moment to realize Cory had been waving his hand in front of her face.

"Wow, you were somewhere far, far away," he chuckled.

"Sorry," she said quickly with a shake of her head. "Just a lot on my mind… how about we get a drink?"

"Well, I was just asking you where our last stop should be and that we should get a drink before that," he said smiling. "But it looks like we are on the same track! Where do you want to go?" Caroline's lips stretched into a smile.

"I know just the place…"

Rousseau's was as packed as ever with the evening crowd packing themselves in on the weekend. The sounds of loud conversations, drinks hitting the tables, darts flying and pool table balls clunking engulfed Caroline's senses as she and Cory walked past a few tables to find her little spot at the corner from last time which was surprisingly unoccupied.

She and Cory hopped onto the seats opposite each other and ordered their first round of drinks as they updated each other on the happenings in their life while they were away from each other.

Cory told her about the goings-on at the clinic and funny stories about working with Elena. He told her about his trips to the Salvatore School and how her daughters always seemed to be weird around him like they were hiding something. Caroline simply smiled, knowing very well how her daughters always teased her about the way she kept reminding them to keep Cory aloof of all things magical.

Even as Cory continued to speak, Caroline realized it was going to be hard to keep up her end of the conversation in terms of updates – everything she had done in the city since she got here had something to with the Merge or Klaus' un-siring process, neither of which was exactly something she could share with someone who had no knowledge of the supernatural yet.

 _Soon_ , she told herself, soon she would tell Cory everything… and hope that he didn't run for the hills.

They were on their fourth or fifth round of drinks – Caroline had lost count by then – when a plate of beautifully arranged canapés arrived at their table that she was pretty sure they hadn't ordered.

"Compliments of the Chef," the waiter spoke before Caroline could question her. She threw a glance towards the kitchen and caught a glimpse of Declan running around and a small smile came on her face.

"Well, tell him we appreciate the gesture," she said smiling sweetly at the person who had served them before they took off. She popped a canapé into her mouth while Cory observed her movements carefully.

"How many times have you been here, Care? I mean, if you know the Chef and they know you…" He huffed out a small laugh like he genuinely found it humorous and Caroline frowned. There was no jealousy in his tone; it was more like a combination of curiosity and amusement. She shrugged at him, taking another swig of her drink.

"His name is Declan and he used to date Hope's mother," she explained, thanking the stars that this information could be imparted without the risk of mentioning the supernatural aspect of things. "That's how I know him, we've met like _once_ before."

"Pardon my earwiggin' but that just hurts my feelings, sweet Caroline," came a familiar Irish accent and Caroline tilted her head to the side to see Declan standing at their table with a mock-hurt expression on his face. "And here I thought an evening of whiskey was enough to christen us thick as thieves," he pouted as his bright green eyes tried to take on a hurt look unsuccessfully, making Caroline laugh.

"Hi, Declan," she greeted him and gestured towards Cory. "Meet my boyfriend Cory."

"Nice to meet ya, Cory," he said, enthusiastically clapping a handshake with her boyfriend before resting his elbows on the table and leaning towards him. "So, you're her human, eh?"

"Declan!" Caroline huffed and Cory raised an eyebrow at the Chef.

"Is that some kind of weird local compliment?" Before Declan could reply, Caroline interrupted him with a slam on the table.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" She asked, glaring at the Irishman who simply nodded. She turned to smile sweetly at Cory. "Excuse me a moment, Cory."

"Sure," he shrugged and Caroline not-so-gently dragged Declan by the top of his apron to a corner away from their table. Once there, she released her hold on him and crossed her arms across her chest while Declan's face broke out into a smug grin.

"Nice fella you got there."

"What are you doing?" Caroline asked, glowering at him.

"Simply giving you an opportunity to spill the beans about the supernatural world to the poor lad," he replied innocently.

"I'm going to do that soon!" she argued. "You of all people should know it's not exactly something with a predictable outcome and this is definitely _not_ the place for it."

"I beg to differ, Caroline. NOLA is a hub for the supernatural; can you really think of a better place to do this?" Caroline started to counter him and groaned when she realized he had a point there.

"Why do you even care anyway?"

"I'm the head of the Human Faction. It's my job to speak up for humans." Caroline scoffed.

"Right, the factions. Freya had mentioned something about that."

"Ah, yes the lovely Freya had reached out to me just the other day; something about needing some kind of magic-storing device. She's due to pop out a little one soon, eh?"

Caroline had stopped listening after Declan mentioned a magic-storing device for Freya and she wondered if had something to do with putting away the Hollow. A moment later she realized Declan was waving his palm in front of her face, the second time in the day she found herself in this position.

"Your mind seems to enjoy traveling a lot, Caroline." Declan raised a teasing eyebrow at her. "Thinking about your boyo sitting all alone back there?"

"What? No, I…" Caroline shook her head in confusion. "Why would Freya ask _you_ for something like that?" Declan leaned closer to her, his light green eyes glinting with mischief.

"Let's just say the Human Faction has its own set of things that it brings to the table," he simply said, wiggling his eyebrows. Before she could question him any further, Declan suddenly wrapped her in a quick one-shouldered hug. "Right-o, break's over. I'll see you around, sweet Caroline. Tell your fella everything before it's too late! Now if you don't mind, I must crack on." With that he disappeared back into the kitchen, leaving Caroline to wrestle with her own thoughts.

* * *

Hope's head snapped up in bed as soon as she heard the now familiar taps against her window. She adjusted her collar and absently wondered why she chose to wear that particular set of pajamas today as she opened the French door to let Jake in. She shut the door behind him and leaned against it, watching as Jake awkwardly smiled at her and took a seat at her desk. Hope cleared her throat.

"You know, just because the bedrooms have privacy spells on them doesn't mean my Dad doesn't know about your comings and goings through the balcony," she commented. "You might as well use the main door when you visit."

"Yeah, well. This is more fun," Jake shrugged. "But a friend of mine who was around during the time Marcel lived here mentioned a secret basement entrance into the building so maybe I can test that out next time." Hope laughed and Jake smiled, both of them enjoying a light moment before the reason they were meeting hung heavy in the air around them. Jake sighed.

"I'm sorry, Hope," he began.

"That's a good start."

"I'm not exactly the most open person –"

"You don't say." Jake huffed exasperatedly and ran his fingers through his raven hair.

"Hope, do you know why I do every other job that I can to make sure there's money flowing in?" Hope raised her eyebrows at him and slowly shook her head. "It's to pay back all the money I borrowed from someone to pay the hospital bills."

"Wait, hospital bills? You're a wolf, you can't be sick. How –"

"My adoptive sister Malia has cancer," Jake explained and Hope's eyes went wide. "The two days that I was unavailable on the phone was when she had a bad reaction to the chemo at the hospital. I was… scared. And at the end of it all, I was just too exhausted to talk and explain everything to you."

Hope craned her neck back to rest against the door and squeezed her eyes shut. At this point she was feeling too embarrassed for having even yelled at him at all.

"I think we both know it's my turn to apologize now," she said sheepishly and Jake shrugged.

"You couldn't have known. I'm sorry I gave you the impression I was ghosting you." Hope laughed.

"I'm just glad we're talking now," she said smiling at him and moving to a spot on her bed across from where he was sitting at her desk. She took a deep breath before asking what she knew she wouldn't be able to go forward without knowing for sure. "Do you…" she hesitated. "Jake, do you need help with money or…"

"If you have a supernatural cure for cancer then that would be great. Thanks," he responded shortly with a bland smile on his face. Hope could tell he was deflecting but decided to let it be. Jake glanced at his watch. "It's late. I should get going."

"Already?" She complained, standing up.

"Hey, you're the one who let me know that your Dad is aware of my presence in your room," Jake pointed out. "And I don't really want to stick around long enough for him to come up with a reason to barge in and rip my throat out."

"Yeah well, he hardly needs a reason to barge in sometimes," Hope said, rolling her eyes as Jake laughed, flashing his bright white teeth and getting up from his seat. "You've had it easy; just hopping in and out of the balcony as you please."

"Is that a challenge, Princess Mikaelson?" Jake looked at her with a glint in his eye and Hope snorted.

"Hardly… I'm pretty sure my dad won't hurt you."

"You know what, I'm feeling adventurous so I'm going to give it a shot," he said, walking towards her door. " Just know if your father kills me, it's on you."

"I think I can live with that," Hope said, sticking her tongue out at him and Jake laughed.

She walked ahead of him to the door and opened it, taking a quick look around before she stepped out of her room followed by a little-too-confident Jake. They hurried down the stairs and lightly sprinted across the atrium before they eventually reached the main gate without so much as a peep out of anyone else in the house. Jake frowned.

"That was no fun at all."

"That _is_ weird. Where _is_ everyone?" Hope's eyes darted across the room searching for any of her family members and Jake raised his hands in surrender.

"Well, good luck with that. I'm not going to push my luck by sticking around to find out," Jake said as Hope continued to be distracted by the absence of her family. "Hey," he said, taking her hand and finally getting her attention, "Thanks for understanding. You know, about me and my sister…"

"Of course," Hope breathed out and before she could say anything more, he gave a quick peck on her cheek and rushed off. Hope could feel her face burning up and she was glad Jake hadn't stuck around long enough to witness the blush spreading across her face.

Calming the butterflies that had suddenly risen in her stomach, she returned to the issue at hand – locating the rest of her family.

She walked back through the atrium past the dining hall and it was when she began to approach the parlor that she heard them. Her Tribrid sense allowed her to make out the voices of her aunt Freya and her father as well as pick up words such as 'Hollow' and 'Gemini coven' and that's when it struck Hope.

They were talking about getting the Hollow out of her father.

She walked to the parlor and slowly pushed the door open, just managing to hear her Aunt Freya arguing with her Dad.

"You said it yourself, brother, they're Siphoner witches! They took the Hollow out of you once; they can easily do it again. It isn't even dangerous to –" Hope frowned as her aunt abruptly stopped talking.

"Hope." She heard her father's voice and squeezed her eyes shut with a silent groan. She had been hoping to get clued in on more of the conversation before he inevitably sensed her presence there.

She walked into the room with an awkward smile and saw Klaus glance at her with a worried look.

"What are you doing awake at this time, sweetheart? Are you alright?" Hope looked around and saw Rebekah, Marcel and Keelin were present in the room as well.

Clearly this was some kind of important family meeting that no one felt she needed to be a part of.

"I… I couldn't sleep," she lied, hoping no one caught on. "What's going on here?"

Based on whatever she could piece together from what she'd managed to eavesdrop she was quite sure the conversation had to do with bringing in the Saltzman twins in order to get the Hollow magic out of her father. She almost hoped that her breaking into their discussion would prove to be a good enough reason for them to be open to the idea of now involving her in it.

Unfortunately she was disappointed. Klaus walked up to her and put his arm on her shoulder in a seemingly genuine effort to reassure her.

"It's nothing you have to worry about, my littlest wolf. You should go get some rest." Hope scoffed and shook her head in disbelief.

"Right," she grumbled and stomped out of the room without another word.

* * *

Klaus received a very brief text from Caroline the next morning saying she was flying back home with Cory and that she would return next week to pick up her car. There was no mention about getting her girls to do the extraction spell on him or anything else for that matter.

He knew there was no point dwelling on it but after a week of spending extended time with her he couldn't help but feeling a pang of hurt from the very detached goodbye. Even though she mentioned coming by next weekend, he supposed she had already made her decision on her daughters helping out so it seemed futile depending on it.

He was slightly disappointed, but understood the thought behind her decision and accepted it begrudgingly. Besides, he had another important woman in his life to think about right now.

Since the unexpected interruption from Hope last night during the family meeting, she had been acting strange around him. Unfortunately Klaus wasn't feeling particularly inclined to deal with her teenage mood swings, particularly because he and Freya needed to get started on preparations for the extraction spell without the aid of Siphoners or a Claire witch.

This was precisely what had him pacing impatiently in the atrium while Freya sat at the table where brunch had been laid out. She threw a quick glance at him before she calmly began to spread butter on her piece of toast.

"Relax, Brother," Freya said almost lazily. "I already told you I'm perfectly capable of doing the spell. Not to mention I have enough Originals at my disposal to channel at least twice as much power if the need should arise."

"It's not the extraction bit I'm worried about, sister," his voice grated out. "I'm just finding it a little hard to trust that blasted witch's word that we simply let the siphoned magic go free."

"Niklaus, she did say that the magic is too little to amount to anything –"

"I have to agree with Marcel on this one," Klaus cut in. "If the magic was strong enough to hold even so much power on me, who knows what else it is capable of," he exasperatedly ran his fingers through his curls and Freya frowned in thought.

"Curse boxes," she muttered.

"What?"

"I've been looking into curse boxes. They're designed to contain magic," Freya explained, looking up at Klaus who raised an eyebrow at her. "I've been worried about the same thing, brother," she admitted with a shrug. "So I was looking into a back-up plan and I thought I could try to channel the Hollow magic into an object so we can place it inside a curse box."

"Except the Hollow magic only gets absorbed into live objects."

"No it can only be _permanently_ absorbed into live objects," Freya corrected him. "If I can get it into an inanimate object even for a minute and we manage to place it in the curse box before it escapes, it won't even matter because the magic is going to be trapped within the box." Klaus paused for moment and huffed in response.

"Where the bloody hell are we going to find a curse box anyway?" He grumbled and Freya stood up.

"I think it's time we talked to the head of the Human Faction, brother."

* * *

Caroline was on the phone when there was a knock on the door of her office. Alaric's face popped through and she waved him in, continuing to stay on the call.

"I doubt it, Cory. Tonight might be tough but I'll let you know if I get free early okay?" She spoke in an apologetic tone but she heard a heavy sigh on the other end of the line and was hit with a pang of guilt.

"Sure, Care. I'll see you later," came Cory's soft voice.

Caroline hung up to see a worried Alaric standing in front of her with a handful of folders.

"Everything okay, Care?"

Caroline sighed, placing her phone on her desk.

"Yeah, it's just… Cory's been trying to set a date night ever since we got back from New Orleans and I've just been postponing because my mind is so caught up with other things right now." She dropped onto her chair behind her desk that was stacked with neat piles of books and folders. "The week has barely begun and I'm already stressed out," she groaned, running her fingers through her short blonde hair.

Alaric placed the folder in his hand atop a pile that was already on Caroline's desk and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"The Caroline I know doesn't let stress get her down because she's a fighter," he said, making Caroline's eyes dart up to his. "So tell me Care, what's this really about? And look, if it's regarding the girls helping with the Hollow –"

"Ric, we already agreed that we weren't letting them do that."

"Then what is it? The Merge? Based on what you told me you learned in New Orleans, it looks we're making some serious progress and closing in on some spells that could extract the curse out of our girls."

Caroline didn't respond and Alaric's eyebrows knitted together as he leaned over the table.

"Why does it feel like you aren't telling me everything, Caroline?"

 _Because I don't want to die_.

Caroline cleared her throat. While Alaric was right in guessing that she hadn't shared the complete truth with him regarding the conditions involved in destroying the dark magic of the Gemini curse, she had her reasons for doing so. With the prospect of such a heavy price being involved, she wanted to be completely sure and speak to a few more trusted people before even suggesting the possibility to him.

"You're right," Caroline admitted. "There are… _some_ aspects that I haven't shared with you, BUT" – she persisted, catching the look of indignation on Alaric's face – "I _will_ as soon as I get some more confirmation and until then I just need you to trust me, okay?" She looked at him pointedly and Alaric exhaled heavily before finally nodding.

"Fine," he muttered. Caroline could tell he wasn't too happy being in the dark about things regarding their girls but for now she was just glad that he was trusting her to figure things out.

"Thank you, Ric."

"There's something else I wanted to talk to you about," Alaric said, coming around to Caroline's side of the desk and propping himself against it with his palms crossed in front of him. "There was… an incident with MG…" Caroline's eyes went wide in worry.

"What happened?"

"Apparently the kids were playing some stupid game and someone dared him to drink from another student."

"What! You're still talking about Milton Greasley, right? Our _very_ responsible student aide? He knows drinking human blood isn't allowed."

"That's not the worst part. A couple of the student witnesses mentioned… he had trouble stopping once he started." Caroline frowned.

"Ric… you don't think…"

"I think that MG might be a Ripper, Caroline."

Caroline gasped. She got out of her seat and began pacing the office, taking a moment before she spoke.

"Maybe there's something we can do since we… I don't know, caught it early?" she suggested, waving her arms to the side.

"I was actually hoping you can talk to him."

"Me?"

"Yeah, since Stefan was, you know… I thought maybe you might be able to…"

"Okay hold on, Ric," Caroline interrupted him. "How sure exactly are we about this? Are we just going to condemn MG based on the accounts of a bunch of student witnesses? Shouldn't we, I don't know, talk to him ourselves or wait for him to come to us or something?"

"What, after he's done something he regrets and realizes it too late? We don't want to have another Jade situation, do we?"

"Of course not," Caroline took a deep breath and shrugged. "Let's just keep an eye on him for now. In the meantime, let's see if there's something better that can be done than just me talking to him; maybe some professional help if there's anything out there." Alaric sighed.

"I'll send the word out," he said standing up and moving to head out of the office. "Until then you should relax a little and go out on your date with Cory," he said with a small smile and shut the door behind him. Caroline breathed out a tired laugh and went to tackle the first pile of folders in front of her.

* * *

Hope sat at her usual spot in the library brushing up on some spells she needed to memorize for a test at the end of the week. At the moment she was relieved that she was already well versed with them, considering the number of times her mind kept drifting back to what she overheard her family talking about.

One thing she knew for sure was that Siphoners were the easiest way to get the Hollow magic out of her dad; it had been done before it could easily be done again. As if on cue, a heavy Grimoire dropped in front of her and Lizzie pulled up a chair to sit across from her, followed by Josie who took a seat next to her sister.

" _You_ ," Lizzie pointed an accusing finger at Hope who raised an eyebrow. "You were supposed to let us know when you're preparing for the test this Friday so we could practice together," she scowled at Hope and started turning the pages of her book.

"Is this going to be a thing?" Hope retorted, narrowing her eyes at the blonde witch. "One where you two ambush me at the library when I'm just trying to enjoy some peace and quiet –"

"What crawled up your butt, Mikaelson? We had already decided to study together so why are you being such a –"

"SSHHH!" The three of them turned to see the Librarian pointing at the 'Keep Silent' sign. Josie mouthed a 'sorry' at her and turned to Hope. "Is everything okay, Hope?" She asked, softly.

"Well if you must know," Hope started, keeping her gaze fixed on the book in front of her, "I just found out my Dad has the Hollow magic in him."

"The Hollow magic?" Josie looked at Hope in surprise. "But I thought it went away when your Dad died… well, the first time."

"That's just it," Hope said quietly, "A small part of it has remained in his body ever since he came back from the dead and it's slowly killing him."

"I'm so sorry, Hope," Josie reached out and squeezed her palm before quickly drawing her hand back. Hope waited patiently for her to say the magic words. "Is there any way that we can –"

"I'm sorry why are we offering our services to someone who won't even help us with her homework?" Lizzie cut in, tilting her head at her sister.

"Lizzie, it's her Dad!"

"My Aunt Freya told me they just need someone to siphon the magic out of him into something so they can keep it locked away forever," Hope commented innocently.

"What's the challenge in that? We did it once, we can easily do it again," Lizzie shrugged at her. "Relax, your Dad will be fine. Besides, I didn't get to stick around long enough to enjoy beignets the last time I visited Nola." Hope sighed dramatically.

"Well, too bad what _you_ say doesn't matter. Your parents already decided for you that you can't do this."

"Wait, WHAT?"

"SSHHH!"

"Yeah, yeah," Lizzie waved the shushing Librarian off before continuing in a low voice. "What do you mean they decided _for_ us?"

"They said you're just kids and can't do it."

"ExCUSE me?" Lizzie scoffed and turned to her sister. "This is ridiculous. We're… well, not adults yet but our parents can't just decide how we use our powers!"

"Well, we do know the spell," Josie thought for a moment. "And like Hope said if it's just a small part of the Hollow, it should be safe enough for us to do…"

"Then let's take a stand," Lizzie said. "Let's tell Mom and Dad that we're doing this whether they like it or not and it's _our_ decision."

"Wow… Lizzie, Josie…" Hope smiled at them, her eyes wide. "Thank you."

"This isn't about you, Hope," Lizzie waved her hands at her. "It's about our rights as the only Siphoner witches in the world." She opened her spell book and flipped to the page she was looking for. "Now help us prepare for the test."

"Of course," Hope said, her smug smirk going unnoticed as the twins continued to read through their textbooks.

* * *

It was pretty late when Caroline finally exited the Salvatore school to begin her short stroll towards her home on the property. It had been a long day and all she wanted to do was get home and soak in a warm bath. Her brisk pace was partly from her eagerness to unwind but mostly because she was still reeling from the strangest conversation that she and Ric had just experienced with their children.

" _Mom, you always say it's our body, our choice!" Lizzie argued_.

" _We should be able to decide what we do with our powers and we want to help Hope!" Josie added_.

Caroline shook her head in wonder at the turn of events just as she approached her door. The only way her daughters would have even heard about the Hollow being in Klaus is if Hope had told them. Annoyed as she was that her daughters seemed to have gotten played somehow, she couldn't discredit it was a clever move from Hope to talk them into getting her way.

That girl really was too smart for her own good.

 _Like her father_.

She rolled her eyes at herself for feeling a hint of pride in that… and for the unexplained flicker of excitement at the thought of having to go back to New Orleans again.

She unlocked her door, dumping everything she was carrying on to a table by the entrance and moving to flick the lights on when something caught her attention and she stopped.

A heartbeat; one that was slightly racing at that.

Someone was in the house.

She wasn't worried; she was the one with supernatural powers after all and the odds of the person being a human based on the heartbeat was highly likely. Probably some student attempting to prank her or –

Her train of thought screeched to a halt when she turned the corner to her kitchen and saw her dining table set for a romantic dinner, complete with candles and matching cutlery.

And right next to the table, Cory stood with a bouquet of white and pink peonies, smiling widely at her. Caroline gasped.

"Cory, what is all this?" Her boyfriend came closer and handed over the bouquet to her.

"Well, I could see that you were too busy to do date night," he teased with a twinkle in his eye. "So I brought date night to you." Caroline shook her head and laughed, wrapping her arms around him with the bouquet still in hand.

"I can't believe you did this," she whispered into his ear. "Thank you, I probably needed this."

"Yeah you did," Cory agreed, rubbing her back and giving her a quick peck on her cheeks. "Why don't you freshen up while I set the table?" Caroline smiled brightly before placing a chaste kiss on his lips and rushing off to her bedroom.

Her long relaxing bath could wait.

"So…" Caroline started as she swallowed another delicious mouthful of Cory's homemade ravioli half an hour later at her dining table. "What exactly brought this on, Cory?" She narrowed her eyes at him in a teasing way and he simply shrugged.

"Can't a guy just want to spend more time with his girlfriend?"

"Cory, we literally spent the _entire_ weekend together exploring New Orleans just over three days ago!"

"See, that's just it," he said, placing his fork down and getting up from his seat across her. He came around to her side and leaned against the table next to her. "The day I came to surprise you… I was sitting on the floor and waited for you in front of your hotel room door with nothing but a backpack and some flowers. And as soon as I saw you, I realized… how much I _really_ missed you." Caroline breathed out a laugh, smiling at him.

"It was the same for me," she whispered, taking his hand in hers and squeezing it. He smiled and stepped away from the table, gently letting go of her hand.

"Yeah, well I wasn't big fan of the feeling of missing you," he said with a grimace. "So I decided I don't want to do that anymore. Or at least have less of that in my life." Caroline frowned at him.

"Cory, what are you saying?" She asked, slightly uneasy by the direction this conversation was taking, a feeling that was only amplified as she was saw him reach into his pocket.

 _What the… is he going to_ …

Caroline's mind was starting to spin with all kinds of conflicting thoughts as the very real possibility of what was about to happen sunk in and she was finding it difficult to comprehend what exactly it was that was making her anxious. Her eyes widened as she watched Cory get down on one knee and flip open the square velvet box to reveal a beautiful silver band fitted with a simple stone in the center. Her eyes darted from the piece of jewelry to his bright blue ones when he spoke.

"Would you like to dance together at our wedding?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh oh... if you think THAT'S bad then I've got news for you.
> 
> Something utterly unavoidable has come up in life and I gotta fly out of town over the Halloween weekend. I'll be busy, unavailable and sans-laptop so there will be NO UPDATE next week. Honestly, I'm not sure what makes me more anxious - flying for the first time since the pandemic broke out or missing a chapter update XD I'm kidding, the flight bit is definitely making me nervous. Hopefully I'll get back safe to continue on the story the week after that!
> 
> In the meantime, please feel free to share your thoughts - I'll have my phone to respond to you guys!
> 
> Did you see the little manipulative side of Klaus rearing its head in Hope XD and the stubborn attitude of a wolf too proud to borrow money?
> 
> I don't know if you guys noticed but I took a little creative liberty with the curse box bit - well, I like to think of it as mini Supernatural crossover ('Bad Day at Black Rock' is one of my all time fave episodes and the box features there) but I'm sure the TVD universe would be open to that in my book!
> 
> And most importantly...
> 
> WHAT do you think Caroline is going to DO?? Talk to me! :D
> 
> P.S. In the meantime you can enjoy a daily dose of my KC edits for Klaroline Fall Bingo on my Tumblr: @tnapki
> 
> Cheers, I hope to see you guys in two weeks.


	24. Extraction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Klaus & Freya prepare for the spell to extract the Hollow without Siphoners when there's a surprise change of plans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys, I made it back safely from my trip! Flying during a pandemic was an interesting experience - I honestly felt like a shawerma in a plastic bag with all the precautions that were being taken, if that paints a picture, lol. I only just got back and I know I shouldn't use that as an excuse for a SHORT chapter, especially after a week's break and more importantly.. THAT CLIFFHANGER! In reality, I had written was a REALLY big chapter but I ended up having to split it into two so that I could update this week so here's a fair warning: certain things may NOT be dealt with completely in this chapter and may fall in the next one.
> 
> As always, I want to thank all of your wonderful people for giving my story a chance - the love I get from the fandom on my stories (and KC edits) warm my heart. It's nice to see many new people join the readers list this time around and I always love talking to you guys. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!
> 
> I just wanted to mention a recurring worry among the readers that arose from how the last chapter ended - 'will Klaroline eventually happen?' I'm assuming it's because a proposal feels like a point of no return but let me ASSURE you this is a KC story (Klaroline being endgame is literally in my story summary) so don't worry. Sometimes I feel like this angst and drama is a reflection of the KC withdrawal I felt on TVD post s4 (barring the s5 & s7 gems that kept me going). Heads up, if you're feeling bad for Klaus already, then err, angst alert. Just a bit.
> 
> Ok, at this point my note is going to get longer than my chapter so I'm gonna shut up.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own TVD, TO NOTHING! Except maybe the - No, NOTHING!

Klaus was having an interesting week to say the least. With Hope having returned to school and there no longer being a need for him to spend his nights turning and days resting, he was all of a sudden left with more time than he had grown accustomed to. Currently, there was a healthy portion of his day allocated to helping Freya with their spell situation – now that they were sure the Siphoners weren't available – but there was only so much he could do to support his sister on that front.

Freya's suggestion that they reach out to the Human Faction hadn't been completely futile, the only unpleasant surprise being it was only then that he found out that the role of the Faction's Head had been assigned by Marcel to Declan, the blasted ex-boyfriend of Hayley's whom his insecurity had once led him to consider as a threat to his position as Hope's father figure. His sentiments towards the human had simmered since then upon learning that he is a cousin of Cami's but Klaus' relationship with her didn't particularly seem to influence Declan aversion to him. It was understandable, if he was being fair.

However, despite his evident displeasure upon seeing Klaus he had begrudgingly promised Freya that he would take a look into the storage room in his uncle Kieran's apartment – where the boy currently resided – and let them know if he found anything that remotely resembled a curse box.

Clearly he wasn't comfortable enough to let them in and search for it themselves.

Klaus found that he could hardly be bothered by Declan's lack of trust in him and his family. The curse box was simply a part of the back-up plan anyway and he knew that if it really came down to it, he wouldn't hesitate to find more _creative_ ways to obtain the object from the human.

Aside from this, one good thing that Klaus found himself doing in lieu of the excess time was revisiting his passion for painting. Although his mind tended to drift back to a certain blonde vampire when searching for subjects to derive inspiration from, he figured he should at least put an effort to try something else since his muse had left town.

And she had chosen to inform him of her departure through a text message, no less.

He wondered idly why this seemingly innocuous fact was bothering him this much. He also felt a hint of curious annoyance at how it seemed so much easier back then for him to keep her at the back of his mind and go about his daily life.

Perhaps it was because his mind was usually occupied with concocting new strategies and war tactics to take down his enemies. Or since he was almost always engaged in coming up with plans and back-up plans for whatever challenge was being thrown at his family.

Perhaps it was the tiny remnants of the Hollow magic still within him that was making him insecure.

Perhaps it was the fact that he had spent an entire week of pain with Caroline by his side almost every night, up until the early hours of the morning. Over the short amount of time that she had spent in his city, she had unwittingly reinforced her position as his personal beacon of light, having stuck around to support him through a very difficult time in his life despite her reservations and his mood swings.

He _missed_ her, he realized.

It was strange how just one week with a person could leave such an impact. Having spent most of the daytime sleeping and resting while he healed, his nights of painful shifting between the form of wolf and man were mostly overseen by one of his family members leaving the only actual lucid parts of his day with Caroline – the time between completing his transformations for the day and freshening up before getting ready for bed.

Even though it made up such a small slot of time in his day, he had savored it to the fullest. For one thing, it gave him a chance to engage in some fiery arguments with the beautiful vampire and he blatantly took it on himself to rile her up because he enjoyed how flustered she looked when she was angry.

He had flirted with her without a care in the world, so brazenly he sometimes wondered if all that turning had gotten to his head and made him forget that she was spoken for. Perhaps it was being so in touch with his animal side that was making him more loose-tongued about what he _really_ wanted.

Of course, it didn't help that she didn't really seem to mind and even played along sometimes, making their banter one of the more enjoyable parts of his day. She was probably only going along with it so that he would relax and go to bed without putting up a fight but it meant something to him all the same.

And then there were the memories of the few times when she was so exhausted that she ended up climbing on the edge of his bed and falling asleep next to him. He was aware she always made the effort to keep her distance but even being that close to her was electrifying.

The mornings after those nights were even better; he would wake up to the sight of a sleeping Caroline where he could watch her short blonde strands strewn across his silk pillow and her glowing skin just beginning to be touched by the rays of the rising sun streaming in through his window.

Those were the few precious moments that he could just pretend that life was perfect and everything was right in the world before her eyes inevitably snapped open and reality crashed in as she got up and hurried to leave.

Klaus sighed. He supposed that once he got a taste of being around Caroline over a prolonged period, it was understandable he was having difficulty weaning off it. That kind of positive energy was strangely addictive and hard to recover from.

He stared at the canvas that he had set up before him. He hadn't even realized during his stream of thought when he had started outlining her face across the sheet with his brush. He shook his head at himself but figured he might as well follow through; something to hold on to knowing he may not bump into her anytime soon.

With that in mind he squeezed out some more color onto his palette and began to flesh out the picture with more detail when someone briefly knocked on the door and walked in before he could respond.

"Brother," Freya started excitedly as she approached him. "The Saltzman twins are going to help us."

Klaus stared at his sister wide-eyed in surprise just as he saw Rebekah walking in to join them. He turned his gaze back to Freya.

"Are you saying Caroline changed her mind? And that she convinced Alaric to do the same?"

"I don't know the details but Caroline just informed me that she's coming to New Orleans with her kids tomorrow, along with Hope," Freya smiled and Rebekah shook her head at Klaus with a small smirk on her face.

"Bloody hell, Nik. What promises did you make to get her to agree to this _again_?"

Klaus barely registered what Rebekah said; he was distracted by the feeling of something deep within him constrict on learning that Caroline seemed to have had a change of heart.

And that she had chosen to reach out to Freya instead of _him_.

It had been complete radio silence between them from the time Hope told him her boyfriend had surprised her by showing up in the city last weekend. He had gotten the uneasy feeling she was avoiding him since then but hadn't seriously considered that to be a real possibility… until now.

"She told you that?" Klaus asked, narrowing his eyes at Freya suspiciously. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, she actually called me to ask about the details of the spell; where we plan to transfer the magic, what we plan to do with it…"

"And what did you tell her?" He asked, his voice coming out angrier than he expected. "It's not like we have the magical object that was promised to us by that inexperienced _child_ leading the Human Faction –"

"Actually, Declan found a curse box that we could use," Freya interrupted him.

"What?" Klaus asked, incredulously and this time it was Rebekah who spoke.

"Marcel is meeting him later today to pick it up from the apartment tonight," she informed Klaus, who finally shifted his attention to his baby sister. That was when he noticed the antique urn in her hand.

"What's this?" He asked, gesturing at the object she was holding. He had addressed Rebekah but it was Freya who responded.

"I needed something I could temporarily channel the magic into so we could place it in the curse box –"

"And what better…" Rebekah broke in to add, "…than this urn I picked from a pile of junk that we have lying in storage? I thought it would be rather… poetic. But seriously Nik, the storage spaces are in _dire_ need of some spring cleaning."

Klaus simply nodded, unable to deny that he was impressed at the plan. He paused for a moment before his face broke out into a smile.

"Well, nice to know you lot are making yourselves useful," he teased, turning back to his canvas and gaining a couple of incredulous scoffs from his sisters.

"Says the one who's whiling away his time making brush doodles of… wait a second, is that…"

"Yeah, I think it is…"

"ENOUGH!" Klaus bellowed at his sisters who were now both grinning smugly at him. "If that is all I would really appreciate it if you would both please get OUT of my studio."

* * *

Caroline wasn't sure why she was feeling nervous as she sat with her daughters and Hope as the car finally entered the Crescent City. She had double checked with Freya that things were all in place before they could go ahead with the spell using her daughters.

As she watched Hope laugh with the driver Jake while Lizzie rolled her eyes at something and Josie lost to the world with her earphones, she let herself address the fact it probably wasn't just the spell that was making her anxious – she hadn't exactly disclosed the events of her eventful Date Night with Cory to anyone else yet and was hoping to keep it that way for the weekend at least.

Saying that she wasn't ready to deal with the fallout of that story getting out was an understatement of epic proportions.

The car came to a halt in front of the Mikaelson compound and while she secretly wished that Hope would hop off with her things and they could zip away unseen, it was too late. Jake had parked the vehicle and was helping Hope with her bags while her daughters had stepped out to stretch their legs.

Caroline continued to sit in the car, hoping they would hurry up so they could push off as soon as possible when a knock on the car window made her jump. She looked up to see a very handsome Hybrid smiling down at her, dimples in full display as he gestured at her to pull down her window. Caroline scoffed and did so, after which he immediately reached in and opened the door for her, extending his arm to welcome her out. Caroline narrowed her eyes at him and shifted her knees till her legs were dangling out of the car but she didn't get out.

"What is it, Klaus?" She asked, her voice coming out harsher than she intended.

"You've all had a long journey. Won't you come in for breakfast?" He offered with a bright smile that was unwavering.

_Stupid dimples._

"Our hotel is just a few minutes away, we're good." Thunder rumbled in the distance and Caroline looked up to the sky. "What the hell is it with this weather?"

"It's quite possibly a side-effect of the Hollow, love," Klaus explained and Caroline's eyebrows furrowed at him. "The magic has been known to mess with the elements."

"Let's just get this over with," she grumbled and stood up to call her kids. "Lizzie! Josie! Come on, let's go!" She sat back in her seat and turned to Klaus. "See you in the swamp," she muttered and shut the car door. As Jake and her girls hopped in, Caroline couldn't help feeling slightly guilty when she caught the puzzled look on Klaus' face in the rear-view mirror as they began to drive away.

* * *

Everything appeared to be in place for the spell; Klaus had checked enough times to be sure. The weather was still being erratic and there was a light drizzle but apart from that things were as controlled as they could be.

The markings as per the spell's requirement were made like the last time by Rebekah and Freya in a clearing in the swamp. The location was Freya's idea, her thought being that in the highly unlikely chance that anything went wrong, at least the rest of the city wouldn't go down with them. She advised against mentioning this particular fact to Caroline and with good reason; Klaus was pretty sure that even the hint of a prospective slip-up and she would call off the whole thing. Honestly, hee wouldn't even blame her if she did.

This is precisely why he was taking every step to make sure the process is as smooth as possible.

He hastily moved to stand in the middle of the circle of markings on the ground. The witches had to work fast, on the off chance that the rain washed the markings away and affected the spell. Freya came up to him and gave him the old urn to hold in his hands. She had already explained to him earlier that it would contain the magic siphoned out of him just long enough for him to be able to lock it away safely before it latched onto another body.

Marcel stood right outside the circle, holding the curse box that he had managed to get from Declan the previous night, open and ready for Klaus to place the urn in.

For all the magic-trapping power that it was assumed to bear, the object was quite underwhelming in appearance. A simple wooden box with a few markings on each side in some dark liquid that Klaus couldn't identify, it didn't even have a latch to place any kind of lock on it. He hoped that the trust they were placing in the working of this object wasn't misplaced.

He supposed the worst case scenario would be the magic actually dissolving harmlessly into the air like Mary-Alice said it would, but at the moment he wasn't sure how much he could trust her either.

As he stood there, he could see Freya talking to Caroline as they made the girls stand across from each other in the circle. He also saw Hope standing in the distance with Rebekah.

He hadn't wanted his daughter to come, just in case it was any danger to her considering her history with Hollow. But Hope had insisted saying that she needed to be there for her friends too. Even Keelin had taken the day off and joined them, keeping an eye out to make sure they weren't interrupted while they were technically encroaching on werewolf territory.

" _Magia tollox de terras_."

Lizzie and Josie began their chants and almost immediately the air felt more charged with electricity and a bright streak of lightening whipped across the sky. The drizzle had gotten slightly heavier but not so much to drench anyone yet.

" _Magia tollox de terras_."

Klaus began to feel that familiar sense of cold dread, like his spine was freezing up. He could sense the dark magic in his system gathering in his chest as the extraction magic amassed them together.

" _Magia tollox de terras_."

He growled under his breath in pain as he felt the pull from both sides – the parasitic Hollow magic wanting to stay in his body versus the Siphoners' magic dragging it out. He roared as tiny veins of bright blue light began to sprout out of his chest and accumulate into a glowing sphere barely the size of a golf ball in front of him. He could vaguely make out his family in his peripheral vision watching him with worry on their faces.

" _Magia tollox de terras_."

The twins' chants grew more urgent and louder as the pain began to get worse. It felt like his heart was about to burst out of his chest and he begrudgingly thought that it almost felt fitting, considering the number of people he had doled that particular action out to. He began to choke and sputter as the last dregs of the Hollow magic in him practically ripped out of his body. He screamed, unable to recognize the blood-curdling sound that had just erupted out of his mouth. Having squeezed his eyes shut in response to the pain, he slowly opened them and his body continued to shake as he raised his head and looked up.

The tiny unassuming ball of almost bluish white hot light hovered above him and he absently wondered how something so beautiful could be capable of unleashing so much pain and suffering. All of a sudden, the orb of dark magic rapidly flashed downward, straight into the urn he had been tightly clutching onto all this while. The object shuddered violently as it absorbed the Hollow magic before it completely stilled in his hands.

" _Solvo_."

The abrupt silence from the completion of the spell was deafening. In the absence of the witches' chanting and his screaming all that remained were the soft pitter-patter of the rain and sound of his rasped breathing.

"Klaus!" His head shot up to see Caroline standing next to Freya and pointing. "The box! Put it in the box NOW!"

Her tone of urgency seemed to snap him back to his senses and he flashed towards Marcel. He placed the urn inside the curse box, which his protégé immediately snapped securely shut. The rims of the box glowed bright blue for a few tense moments before it finally went completely quiet. Marcel then looked up from the box at him.

"Looks like you're a free man, Klaus," he said, his lips pressed in a straight line. Klaus choked out a gasp and Hope came running up to him, her eyes filled with worry.

"Did it work, Dad?" She asked him, checking to see if he was hurt. "Do you feel anything?" Klaus smiled at his daughter.

"It worked, I'm sure of it," Klaus said, "I feel completely pain-free for the first time since I got back." He saw his daughter's eyes tear up and she wrapped him in a tight hug that he happily returned, when he suddenly felt an extra pair of arms squeezing him.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Nik," Rebekah chirped and Klaus couldn't help the feeling of warmth in his chest at being smothered by his family's love, something that was relatively new for him.

"The twins did everything right. It worked," Freya's voice came through as she joined them. She patiently waited for Hope and Rebekah to release Klaus so she could get her turn at a hug. "You should thank them," she added, gesturing to Caroline who was holding both her girls close.

Klaus tilted his head at his sister but realized she was probably right. He exhaled deeply before he slowly walked up to them. Three heads turned to him as they saw him approach them and he greeted them with an earnest smile.

"Thank you girls," he said genuinely, addressing Lizzie and Josie. "I owe you my life." The twins looked slightly awkward at being thanked by someone who they had been taught by their father and school books as 'The Great Evil'. They simply nodded and turned to Caroline, who didn't release her hold on them and lightly returned Klaus' smile.

"Don't mention it. Now, if you'll excuse us, I think we'll head back to the –"

"You lot aren't going anywhere just yet!" Rebekah's shrill voice came through as she trotted towards them and the twins faces immediately lit up. Klaus honestly couldn't understand what they saw in his sister.

"We're going back to the hotel. We did what we came to do," Caroline clarified, her gaze strangely averted from Klaus' as she spoke. "We return early tomorrow morning so…"

"It's the middle of the day, you have _plenty_ of time," Rebekah argued, slinging an arm across Klaus' shoulder. "Besides, my brother here is finally free of that cursed magic thanks to the two of you" – she pointed at Lizzie and Josie who grinned back at her – "and _that_ calls for a celebration. So consider this an official invitation to a Mikaelson dinner tonight at our home." Caroline hesitated.

"We really should –"

"Come on, Mom, it's not like we're doing anything else anyway," Lizzie whined.

"Please Mom," Josie added for good measure and Caroline sighed in resignation.

"Okay, fine," she gave in. "But whatever the plan is, we're heading back for now and will join you in the evening," she said, throwing a quick glance at Klaus before guiding her girls away from them to their car.

"Seven p.m! Don't be late!" Rebekah yelled after them and squeezed her brother's arm. Klaus chuckled at his sister's excitement to organize a party as Hope joined them and wrapped herself around his other arm.

"I for one thing agree with Aunt Bekah, this is _definitely_ a reason to party," she said, smiling at her father and then looking up at the sky. "The sun's come out," she noted and Klaus kissed his daughter on the forehead.

"Can I just consider this my baby shower as well and get it over with?" Freya smirked at her sister, rubbing her belly as she came to stand next them with Keelin by her side. Rebekah was looking daggers at the witch.

"Why on earth why would I throw away a perfectly good excuse for a second party by combining the two?" She asked, as if it was the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard.

"So where does this go?" Marcel's voice broke into the conversation and they all turned to look at him standing there with the curse box in his hand. Klaus clicked his tongue.

"There's a hidden storage space in a far corner from the room I spent my nights turning. It's been close and untouched for years so it might be –"

"I know it," Marcel interrupted, stopping him. "I lived in the house for awhile too you know," he added with a smug glint in his eye at which Klaus smirked.

"Well then, you know what to do."

* * *

Even with just a few hours to prepare, a Mikaelson dinner was never disappointing in terms of flair, more so with someone as determined as Rebekah running the show. Caroline tried not to think about how much of compelling would have gone into putting everything together in the limited time.

Barring any ballroom dancing and fancy gowns, the dining area was just like she imagined, based on the last and only Mikaelson ball she attended. There was a feast set at the Mikaelsons' grand dining table with enough to feed a small army, complete with placement cards for seating.

"Geez, Mom, I feel a little underdressed," Lizzie grumbled as they walked into the dining room. Caroline looked at her daughter fumbling with the buttons on her dark ribbed jumpsuit.

"You look beautiful, Lizzie," she reassured her before turning to Josie who looked quite comfortable in her white tee and striped romper. "You too, Josie," she added beaming at her dark-haired daughter who simply smiled back at her.

"You look pretty good yourself, Mom," Josie replied and Lizzie groaned.

"That's not fair, Mom looks good in everything," she grumbled and Caroline huffed out a laugh, unconsciously adjusting the v-neck of her midi floral dress.

Caroline was sure she hadn't put any thought into what she was wearing right now, but she was never one to attend a party without being dressed for the occasion. Her 'fit & flare' short sleeve outfit was what she had in her travel bag and seemed the closest thing to appropriate, which is precisely why she chose to wear it.

The fact that it was navy blue was purely a coincidence.

Her daughters went ahead and were greeted by Rebekah, who Lizzie in particular appeared to have taken a liking to.

Caroline hoped that wasn't a bad thing.

Josie on the other hand, seemed to be intrigued by Freya who was sitting in another corner with Keelin by her side.

"Miss, err…Caroline?" Caroline turned towards the voice to see Hope smiling brightly at her.

"Hey, Hope… I was just appreciating the Mikaelsons' penchant for party planning," she said, continuing to look around at the décor.

"I like to think it's in my genes, but it is _so_ not my scene," Hope confessed with a short laugh.

"That's because my daughter's talents lie elsewhere," came that familiar husky drawl that still managed to affect Caroline in strange ways even after all these years. Klaus joined the two of them and put an arm around Hope's shoulders before turning to her. "Hello, Caroline," he greeted her in his typical fashion.

"Hi Klaus." She didn't miss how his gaze on her lingered a breath longer than it should have before they were interrupted by Marcel's entry into the room.

"Who's ready to wine and dine?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I think we're clear on what I meant when I said some of the important topics to be tackled would go into the next chapter - the question of Caroline's response to her proposal is one of them and I'm pretty sure y'all want to murder me rn. Apologies, this is what I could manage in this time but I hope you won't give up and will stick around. Also, unlike the MANY talented KC writers who bless us with elaborate beautiful stories on a regular basis, I'm NOT a fast writer.
> 
> Here's a fun fact: as angst-y as this story may seem, it's when all hope seems lost that things will finally fall in place for KC! I may have mentioned we're over halfway through 'the season' so it won't be too long now.
> 
> In other news, I think the epilogue to this story came to me last night in a dream.
> 
> As always, READ & REVIEW! Like an upcoming musician dreaming of a Grammy, I dream of KC awards in my head (doubt I'm worthy but still, bro can dream!) but really I just want to share the KC love with everyone. Stay safe, stay happy everyone!
> 
> P.S. Good luck to my American friends out there - pretty sure whatever happens is going to have a big impact on the rest of us too. Hope my fic update manages to reach your reading list amidst all the election brouhaha. Cheers


	25. Dinner at the Mikaelsons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An impromptu dinner at the Mikaelsons reveal some truths. Hope and Jake get closer while Caroline has a hard-hitting epiphany.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, it's that time of the week again! As always I want to start by thanking every one of you who left a comment/review and all kinds of love. I mean, over 200 Kudos yeah! Thank you, it's all very much appreciated. FYI, KC Fall Bingo is done with so if any of you Klaroliners want to check out my original KC edits, head to tnapki on tumblr
> 
> I may have mentioned already how last week and this week's chapters were supposed to be one - so heads up, the overall theme from the last one is going to flow into this one [read: angst alert]. We finally get to find out what happened with the Cory proposal and I just want to say, irrespective of the outcome, some VERY important conversations are had this week [some of which weren't referred to enough on the show imo].
> 
> Disclaimer: TVD nah man not mine.

Caroline looked around at the dining table as she took another sip of her wine. To her relief, the dinner itself went by without incident, a fact that was later pointed out as highly unusual for a Mikaelson gathering by Rebekah. The blonde Original was currently having an animated conversation with Lizzie while Josie was still chatting away with Freya and Keelin. Caroline hadn't meant to eavesdrop but in an attempt to keep herself occupied she was able to gather that one daughter was exchanging event planning ideas and the other was talking about someone named Penelope.

 _This is ridiculous, Caroline. It's a party… stop prying and socialize_!

She had been given the spot next to Klaus who was seated at the head of the table and Caroline had been mildly surprised that Rebekah had set that up, being in charge of the arrangement.

She never considered the Original sister to be in favor of her friendship with Klaus. Heck, she and Rebekah didn't have much love lost between them to begin with, which Caroline actually thought was sad because she had always felt like they might have been great friends had their circumstances been different.

If this was any indication that Rebekah was seemingly growing into the idea of Caroline's amity with her favorite sibling, maybe there was still hope for that.

Either that or Klaus simply requested for Caroline next to him and she was over-thinking things.

_Get out of your head!_

She watched the handsome Hybrid as he conversed with Marcel and Hope, his visage so obviously lighter now that he was free of not just the sire bond but also the magic that had been weakening him for so long. He was finally getting the chance to be with his family, be the father that Hope deserved.

And Caroline couldn't help but feel nothing but pure joy for him.

Watching the blossoming parent-child relationship before her made her think of her own and brought her back to worrying about the conditions of the Merge again. She had yet to tell anyone about the possibility of her having to die in order for her children to be free of the curse.

She kept telling herself that she wanted to be absolutely sure about it before even considering following through but a part of her wondered if she was the one afraid to say it out loud. She deserved the chance to continue being a mother to her daughters and her heart ached even contemplating the possibility that she may not be able to continue doing so.

Her anxiety must have shown on her face because she felt a light touch graze over her wrist that broke through her train of thought. Her gaze snapped up from the table to see Klaus looking at her with concern embedded in his face.

"Everything alright, love? You've been quiet." He spoke softly and she noticed both Marcel and Hope's eyes on her as well.

"Err, yeah," she smiled shortly, taking a sip from her glass. Klaus raised an eyebrow. He didn't seem fully convinced but seemed to have decided not to push further. He turned away and continued to fall back into the conversation he had been having.

Post dinner, there was a round of drinks ranging from coffee and liqueur for those who preferred it to blood for the vampires being distributed along with a choice selection of rich, indulgent pastries. Caroline downed a shot of amaretto and decided she needed to get some air.

And that's how she found herself standing on the open terrace, looking down at the New Orleans streetscape with cool breeze flicking about her short hair and teasing the ends of her dress.

"Caroline." Her head whipped around to see Klaus standing behind her with what she could sense were two glasses of blood in his hand. "How is it that whenever the Mikaelsons throw a party, you manage to find a way to slip away?"

"Maybe Mikaelson parties aren't as fun as people think," she said simply with a shrug and Klaus smirked.

"Don't let Rebekah hear you, love," he said, tilting his head at her. They looked at each for a moment before bursting into laughter together and Caroline was surprised at how it felt like this was actually the most relaxed she had felt all night. Klaus had been right in his observation on how she had been quiet throughout dinner.

He offered her the glass he was holding in one hand and she couldn't help but glance at it suspiciously before shifting her gaze back at him. Klaus huffed in understanding.

"It's ethically sourced, sweetheart. I assure you. Clearly all the time we spent together recently has been rubbing off on me," he said with a smile. Caroline narrowed her eyes at him before she practically plucked the glass out of his hand and took a sip.

"Mmm…" she couldn't help the moan of pleasure that slipped out of her mouth from the dark liquid enriching her system. She hadn't fed in a while and she let herself enjoy this while she absently wondered what Klaus really meant by 'ethically sourced', all the while not completely unaware that his eyes were on her, watching her carefully.

"Caroline," he started, his tone turning serious, "I can't thank you enough; for letting your daughters do this again for us." Caroline huffed out a dry laugh.

"Yeah, I wish I could take the credit for that but you should ask your daughter how many weeks of homework she offered to bargain with my girls and talk them into doing this."

"Hope…" Klaus' eyebrows knitted together, "Hope did this?"

"I don't know the whole story but my girls were provoked enough to think they _needed_ to do this in order to rebel against a decision that their parents made behind their back. Quite the strategic approach; I wonder where she got THAT from?" she asked in mock surprise. Klaus laughed brightly with his dimples making an appearance and Caroline couldn't help but feel warm within at the sight.

"I didn't think I could be prouder of my daughter," he chuckled, shaking his head.

"Well, she _is_ the reason you're now a Hybrid AND free of the Hollow," Caroline shrugged at him. "What more could you want?" She asked jovially as she watched the cityscape bustle with life before she realized that Klaus was still watching her and had taken a step closer to her.

"You're right; I don't want much else right now. Like you pointed out, I'm a Hybrid. I'm free of the Hollow's torment. I'm surrounded by my loved ones. I'm here in my beautiful city." He came still closer and Caroline couldn't find it in her to protest…yet. "I'm here with you," he added softly with a small smile, his eyes burning into hers.

 _Just give up already_ …

Caroline swallowed. She was now close enough to notice the tiny flecks of gold that were interspersed within the cobalt blue of his eyes and for some reason she chose that moment to wonder about how she hadn't noticed it before this… and how his light blonde lashes framed his eyes quite perfectly.

 _Don't lower your gaze. Don't give him the wrong idea. Don't look at his_ …

Her gaze fell on his sinfully pink lips and her own parted slightly almost on impulse. All of a sudden she couldn't remember how they had gotten that close…

 _Why is this wrong? Caroline, remember why this is wrong_.

Klaus had stilled, seeming to understand this was as much as he could come within the boundary of friendship they had created. Caroline hadn't realized how much on edge she was until Klaus slightly shifted in place and she yelped, her voice a higher octave than usual.

"Cory PROPOSED!" The seemingly damning words tumbled out of her mouth and Klaus' eyes widened. Caroline could have sworn she caught a flash of hurt in them before they were almost instantly masked with a look of stoic indifference.

She watched him warily as he stared. He slowly nodded at her with his lips pressed together in a straight line. She knew that look; he wasn't upset or even disappointed.

He was _furious_.

"I suppose…" his voice ground out, "the fact that you're telling me this now means you said yes." Caroline swallowed and Klaus' burning gaze suddenly shifted to her hand. "…which is interesting because I only see your daylight ring on your finger."

Before she could respond, he roughly grabbed her left hand, raising and waving it in front of her face.

"Was your human too _cheap_ to at least offer you a ring?" He growled at her with a disappointed sneer on his face and Caroline had to yank her hand out of his grip, now feeling slightly annoyed.

"Will you calm down, I just sent it to be resized," she retorted, rubbing her wrist. "It was a little tight for me." She observed Klaus carefully, expecting him to lash out at her even though she didn't think he had any right to.

Instead she was surprised when he sighed deeply and donned a smile.

A smile that didn't seem to reach his eyes.

"Congratulations, Caroline," he said softly, reminding her of the last time he had said those words to her and the soft kiss on her cheek that had followed them. Simply thinking about that moment brought a pleasant tingle to her face. "I suppose you got what you want as well," Klaus said almost resignedly and she responded with a breathy laugh.

"He's sweet, kind and… he's good to me." Klaus simply pursed his lips and nodded, his face not betraying any number of emotions she could only guess were behind it.

"Does he know what you are?" he asked quietly, turning away from her to lean over the balcony.

"You mean that I'm a monster?" Caroline muttered and Klaus laughed softly in disbelief at her words.

"Caroline, you're a lot of things but a monster is nowhere close." He crossed his palms in front of him and turned to look at her. "But you didn't need me to tell you that so what's _really_ going on here?" Caroline's eyes snapped to his face before dropping down to the empty glass in her hands and she sighed.

"I know what I am… I've long come to terms with it. But sometimes …" she paused to find the right words. "Sometimes it takes explaining to someone what you are, to make you remember all the horrible things that you've just taken in your stride since you're just so used to it by now… be it drinking blood, snapping necks…"

"Drinking blood is a vampire's nature. Normal isn't the same for everyone, sweetheart."

Caroline snorted; Klaus' statement couldn't have been more on point. It was hard to forget the look on Cory's face when he had proposed and she had told him to hold that thought.

" _Sweetie, I'm not saying no but there's something you need to know before we decide to take this important step together." Cory frowned, the ring still in his hand and Caroline had to pull him up to sit next to her._

She couldn't forget how nervous she had been at that moment – that, compiled with the excitement from being proposed to – not to mention the slight feelings of insecurity from her experience of telling Matt she was vampire all those years ago that were creeping in.

And then she was blown away by how an initially flustered Cory had managed to calm down and take in all the information in the most graceful way she could imagine… and how he rationally started to put all the pieces together as he learned more.

" _It's not like I hadn't witnessed strange things on my visits to your school, Caroline," he admitted making her eyes widen. "It's not their fault; the other students probably thought I knew," he said shrugging. "I did wonder though, about the unbelievably low frequency at which I had to restock supplies in your infirmary – highly unusual for a boarding school of that size that's filled with teenagers." He spoke so earnestly, it made Caroline laugh_.

"I told him everything," she said, lightly shrugging at Klaus. "And he was good, _so_ good." She shut her eyes like she still couldn't believe it. "I mean, obviously he's still processing. I told him to take some time over the weekend while I was here but he was adamant… that no matter how he deals with it, that wasn't going to change his feelings for me. And that's when I said 'yes'," she finished with a small smile. Klaus simply nodded in understanding and they stood in silence for a while before Caroline spoke again.

"You know, he said he doesn't mind growing old with me," she stated and Klaus raised an eyebrow.

"So you weren't planning on turning him eventually?" He questioned, not taking his eyes off her. There was no judgment in his voice, only curiosity. She sighed.

"To be honest, I wanted to. But he…" She paused, gripping the railing and letting her gaze wander over the brightly lit streets below. "He doesn't want that and I totally understand." Klaus narrowed his eyes at her.

"I'm not sure you do, sweetheart," he said softly. Caroline breathed out a laugh.

"Cory is someone who's just so in love with life… The more I think about it, _I_ can't imagine the idea of him being anything but human." Caroline turned to look at Klaus. "And I guess, neither can he."

"Staying the same while your partner grows old comes with its own set of challenges, love. I hope you know what you're doing."

"I hope I'm not interrupting."

Both Klaus and Caroline's heads turned to the voice and they spotted Marcel standing at the entrance to the terrace. "Caroline, your kids were looking for you," he informed her.

"Oh," she laughed softly. "Could you please tell them I'll be right there, Marcel?"

Marcel nodded at her, throwing a quick glance at Klaus before he flashed away. Caroline turned to look back at the handsome Hybrid.

"I should get going. We have an early start tomorrow."

"Yes, you do," Klaus said simply. Caroline tilted her head at him and turned to leave when he spoke up.

"Is this goodbye, Caroline?"

She stopped and turned around, her lips parting as she caught the beautifully earnest look in his eyes.

"I hope not," she whispered, giving him a small smile before she finally walked away, leaving him behind in the solitude of his own thoughts.

* * *

Hope's eyes snapped open and her bedroom ceiling glared back at her in all its dullness. She sat up in her bed and looked around; she was sure she had heard voices.

For a moment, she couldn't help but wonder…

 _The_ _Hollow_ …?

Hope suddenly had the urge to be doubly sure that the magic that had been securely locked away earlier that day was still confined to the curse box. She slowly crept out of her room and began to walk down the stairs. It was dark so she figured it was safe to assume everyone in the house had retired to their quarters, even her father who she knew barely slept a couple of hours a night.

She quietly opened the door leading to the basement and began descending the stairs when she heard a crash and the sounds of shuffling movement.

 _What the hell_?

Her Tribrid senses on alert, she tread softly down the rest of the stairs. She walked up to the door of the storage room, put her hand on the handle and with one swift motion pushed the door open, ready to face the intruder… only to be met with a very familiar, handsome face.

" _Jake_?"

"Hope! Thank God it's you," he said, suddenly wrapping her in a hug. "I was preparing myself to die at the hands of your father."

"What?"

"Remember when I said I wanted to test that rumor about a secret entrance into your house through the basement? Turns out it's not a rumor," he said with a smug grin and Hope punched him in the arm. "Ow! What was that for?"

"Are you kidding me? I thought you were a thief or something!"

"Only an idiot would voluntarily break into a house full of Originals."

"You _literally_ just did that!"

"Technically I used an entrance…"

"And you didn't feel the need to give me a heads up?"

"I was bored and honestly I didn't think the secret entrance would actually be here." Hope crossed her arms in front of her chest and glared at him suspiciously.

"What was that noise? Jake, what did you break?"

"Nothing! There's just so much crap in here I bumped into –" Jake wasn't halfway through his defense before Hope rushed to the far back of the storage room and opened an antique cupboard. She heaved a sigh of relief on seeing the curse box sitting unopened and seemingly untouched on the top shelf. She clicked the cupboard shut and turned around to face Jake who was looking around anxiously.

"Hope, can we just get out of here? This room gives me the creeps. Just moments before you came in I could have sworn I heard voices…"

"You heard voices?" Hope's eyes widened and Jake frowned at her panicked reaction.

"I thought I did…" He shrugged it off but hesitated when he saw Hope's eyebrows furrowed in worry. "Please tell me it was just my imagination…"

"Aheh, well…" Hope breathed out an awkward laugh.

"Look I've got some leftover road trip snacks in my backpack. Let's just go to your room and –"

"Yeah, let's go," Hope agreed, pushing Jake out of the storage room and hurrying out, shutting the door behind her.

Few minutes later, they were sitting on her balcony floor looking up at the sky; the crunching sound of chips cutting through the stillness of the night.

"Guess I'll be sticking to meeting you on your balcony then," Jake muttered.

"That would be a wise choice."

He suddenly put down the bag he was eating out of and looked at her. "Is there something weird going on, Hope?" The Tribrid sighed.

"Let's just say there was… and it's been taken care of and we never have to talk about it again. Sound good?"

"Err, sure."

"Good." Another few minutes of snacking in silence passed by before Hope heard Jake chuckle.

"Your family collects the weirdest things…"

"You were barely in there for a few minutes!"

"Long enough to see some funny sculptures, paintings and what I'm pretty sure was a _body_ covered in a sheet –"

"Trust me, you don't want to know," Hope looked at him pointedly and Jake raised his hands in surrender, going back to munching on chips. "How's your sister doing?" She asked softly.

"As fine as she will ever be," he replied, not looking at her.

"You know I can turn her…"

"And let her be an outcast in our community? I don't think so," Jake snapped at her and groaned a second later. "I'm sorry, Hope. I didn't mean…"

"No, I get it…"

"I just…" Jake ran a hand through his raven hair. "I just know she's going to beat this." Hope smiled at him sadly.

"It's going to be okay." She reached out and squeezed his hand, her action causing his face to snap up to meet hers.

"Thanks," he said softly and just then she realized how they had shifted closer to each other over the course of the conversation.

He continued to stare at her and she caught his gaze darting to her lips for a second before coming back to her eyes. Before she could change her mind she leaned in and to her pleasant surprise, he met her halfway.

The kiss was short and sweet but filled Hope with a flutter of emotions. It was simple but didn't feel lacking in any way…

It felt like the start of something.

They broke apart and he smiled that bright smile she had gotten attached to since the first time she saw him.

"I should get going. It's almost day-break," he commented.

"So? It's not like you're a vampire who's going to burn in the sun."

"No, but it does increase the odds of a certain Original Hybrid catching me macking with his daughter and giving me a death sentence." Hope laughed and Jake sprung to his feet, walking to the edge of the balcony.

"I'll see you in a few hours when I come by to pick you up," he said, hopping up and crouching on the railing. "Later, princess."

"Goodbye, Jake," she said, rolling her eyes at his term of endearment as he hopped off her balcony and landed safely on the empty streets below. She watched him sprint away, unable to help the smile that spread across her face.

* * *

"So how was your big party last night?"

Caroline was stretched out on her bed with a pen and notepad in hand next to Cory who seemed to be engrossed in reading a Medical Journal. She had just driven home with the girls that morning and what was supposed to be a lazy Sunday evening with her boyfriend had immediately turned into a domestic scene with her following up on work that had piled up over the last week and Cory bringing himself up to date with his reading.

"Typical. Fancy as always," Caroline muttered as she gathered some loose papers from her bedside table. "Although based on the kind of parties they host I must say they were short by a few fancy gowns and some ballroom dancing but I'm not complaining."

"Come on, Caroline. You love those kinds of things," he teased, turning a page in his book.

"Ugh, fine, you got me. Maybe I just have a lot on my mind right now," she shrugged and continued to scribble on her notepad. Her resigned tone made Cory look up from his book and reach out to squeeze her arm.

"Caroline…" he started, his bright blue eyes burning into hers. "You're not having second thoughts about getting married are you? I know the order of things is a bit skewed with a proposal followed by me moving in –"

"No, of course not!" Caroline assured him with a smile. "It's about my girls… and NO it's not something you can help with," she quickly added seeing the look of worry on Cory's face. "It's a problem of the supernatural kind and you're definitely not ready for THAT level of information just yet. I can still barely believe you're this okay with me being… a vampire."

"Caroline, I love you. I don't know why you talk about this like it's a curse or something."

"Well, we're not all the same…"

"But you're one of the good ones, right? And personally, I think this is exciting because I'm learning so many new things about you!" She huffed, unable to hold back a laugh at how he was grinning at her excitedly. "That thing you showed me that day where you cut yourself and it healed in seconds? How amazing would it be if I could apply that in the medical field? Think of the things we could cure! This article I'm reading talks about an experimental treatment for cancer –"

"Fat lot of good it did my mother…" Caroline muttered, her eyes drooping on recalling the memory of her futile attempts to use her blood to heal her mother's cancer. Her words made Cory's face dim slightly and he shook his head.

"Caroline, I'm so sorry… If it makes you feel any better, I'm pretty sure I would have done the same if I were in your position."

"I know… I just wish you could have met her," she said smiling softly at him. "She would have liked you."

"That's good to know," he said, smiling back at her before resuming his reading. Caroline shifted in the bed and leaned back against the headboard with her laptop and some papers on her lap.

"Pass me that pile of folders will you?"

Without taking his eyes of his book, Cory put his hand out to pick up the folders that had been haphazardly stacked on the bedside table and passed it to her.

"Cory!" Caroline's voice rang through and that's when he turned to see that he had unwittingly knocked down a bunch of things in the process of handing her the folders she'd asked for.

"Sorry!" Cory shook his head, putting down his book and getting off the bed to pick up the items he had toppled over. Caroline sighed and pressed her palms to her face.

"No, it's my fault. This place is a mess," she admitted, looking at the rest of the documents and sheets that were lying across the blanket at her feet. Since Cory was now familiar with the supernatural side of things, some of her Merge research lay about in the mix as well.

"You must be really stressed about something if the place is a mess," Cory observed, picking up the books that were on the floor with stray pages that were falling out. "If cleaning isn't helping you then I don't know what will," he chuckled and Caroline reached out to poke him in the shoulder. "And don't think for a moment that this chaos is going to slow me down from moving in with you."

"Why do you think I have a problem with you moving in? I already said 'yes' to marrying you!"

"Just a feeling," he shrugged as he continued to pick up pieces of stray paper from the floor and for a moment Caroline couldn't help but wonder if there was some part of what he said that was true.

"Caroline?"

"Mmm?"

"What… is this?" Caroline watched as Cory lifted up a very familiar piece of textured ivory paper with few choice handwritten words on it that glared back at her.

_Save me a dance,_

_Fondly, Klaus_

Caroline cleared her throat and took a deep breath.

"Well… remember those gowns and fancy parties I was telling you about?" she started slowly, putting down the pen and papers in her hand. "This is from one of them that I attended…a LONG time ago."

"Klaus… that's Hope's father, right? Were you two…?"

"That was just ONE dance and I didn't even want to go to the damned thing when I didn't even know _why_ I was invited then and –"

"Whoa, whoa, Care. You don't have to explain yourself," he said, holding up his hands in front of him. Caroline frowned at him and he explained. "I'm just surprised that's all. I didn't know you and Hope's father had any kind of history."

Caroline watched him carefully as he spoke; she was convinced that he must be revisiting all the times she said she spent the night at Hope's place in his head with a whole new perspective.

But instead he simply shrugged, keeping the card to the side and climbing back on to the bed.

"We all keep weird mementos from our exes," he asserted. "I'm almost ashamed to admit I still have this sock that was hand knitted for me by one with my initials on it."

"Wait, what?"

"It serves as a very good kitchen mitt actually," Cory finished matter-of-factly and Caroline couldn't help but laugh.

"Okay first of all, Klaus is NOT an ex. And second of all… a sock?"

"It was quite funny. It wasn't even a pair, just a single sock. It's like it wasn't even meant to be worn." The two of them burst out laughing on the silliness of it. "Speaking of things that should be paired…" He put an arm around her and dropped a kiss on her nose while she rolled her eyes at his long-shot segue into the topic. "Do you want to talk about dates for the wedding? Anything you have in mind that I should know about?"

"Erm…"

 _We're having a June wedding_.

"I just…"

"Caroline, are you okay? I was just excited. We don't need to decide –"

"Cory, I… look, we _just_ got engaged and now you're moving in and everything just feels like it's going _so_ fast…"

"I understand it's a little overwhelming…"

"See, that's the thing! I'm FINE with all _that_ but as for the wedding…" Caroline shook her head. "I don't want a big fancy wedding," she whispered and saw his eyes widen in mild surprise.

"Oh." He frowned and Caroline sighed.

"I was married and widowed on the same day Cory… I thought I was over it but I think that I…" She swallowed the lump she was feeling in her throat as she recollected that day. "I think I still associate that day with things that make me sad… so can we just go for something small and intimate?"

Cory stared back at her for a minute, looking unsure what to say. He finally nodded.

"I guess as long as you're there I'm fine with it." Caroline tilted her head at him and scoffed.

"Cory, you have a huge family. I know you're all close and you would want something big and fun for everyone –"

"It's fine…" Cory waved it off. "We'll figure it out Care." She smiled at him.

"Thank you…" She gave him a soft kiss and they settled back into their work.

Later that night as Cory lay asleep in her bed, Caroline went around the room clearing up and organizing the things that had been scattered about in her work frenzy. When she came around to the table on his side she saw he had left the invitation to the Mikaelson Ball there as it was. She glanced at it with a nostalgic smile and opened the book beneath it to slip it in when she spotted another letter from Klaus there that she had preserved within the pages.

 _Dearest Caroline_ …

She sighed. It wasn't a weird coincidence that Cory happened to come across these items; it was actually an incident waiting to happen that she should probably have prepared for. She had always kept certain precious items in her bed-side drawer and a couple of them just happened to be from Klaus.

She couldn't even explain _why_ she kept them there. Nevertheless there were the occasional sad and lonely nights over the past decade when those letters and notes somehow gave her a semblance of hope that she could hold on to until she felt better.

 _However long it takes_.

She snapped the book shut with the letters stuffed in it and pulled out the drawer to place it back when an old phone slid out, yet another Klaus souvenir that she had kept for inexplicable reasons.

Some days when words on paper didn't do, it was the sound of his hopeful voice telling her about the beauty that was out there in there in the world that kept her going. She would never admit this to him but she would be lying if she said she didn't think about him often.

Not wanting to wake up Cory, she gently slid the drawer shut after packing its contents in. For a moment she stood there, her gaze darting between her drawer and a sleeping Cory in the dim light of the bed-side lamp. He was moving in and she would have to pack those items away somewhere else if she wanted to make space for him in her life – both physically and mentally.

She flashed to her closet and returned to the bed-side table with an empty shoe box. She slowly pulled out the drawer and began to empty the contents into the box as she tried not to get distracted by how many of those things were associated with Klaus.

It was a surreal feeling, considering Klaus was someone she'd never even had an _actual_ romantic relationship with as such. It was something else she couldn't put her finger on… something more.

It was as if Klaus had been inadvertently keeping her company all these years without her even realizing it and now she was literally clearing him out of her space for someone else.

It almost felt… wrong.

She pushed the packed shoe box onto a shelf in her closet, right next to another big dark box that contained a certain blue dress from a certain someone.

 _Urgh, Klaus will you stop haunting me_!

She cursed under her breath and climbed into bed, going under the covers and wrapping her arms around Cory's toned chest. She lay there listening to his heartbeat, taking comfort in the steady rising and falling of his chest as she thought back on their earlier conversation.

She hadn't even realized until they spoke about it today that she didn't want a big wedding.

And if she was being brutally honest, it was highly possible that in her desperate attempt to move on maybe she hadn't really thought about whether she even _wanted_ a wedding in the first place.

She _had_ put off telling him she's a vampire for as long as possible and when she finally did… the truth is she hadn't really expected him to accept it so gracefully.

 _Maybe a part of you hoped that the supernatural truth about you would scare him away_.

Except… it didn't.

_Maybe then you wouldn't feel as guilty about Klaus crossing your mind as often as he does._

She gasped against Cory's chest at the terrible notions plaguing her mind and squeezed her eyes shut hoping to fall asleep soon before more perplexing thoughts overtook her brain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah... so guess we all know now. Caroline said yes and I'm sure a whole bunch of you want to kill me XD but before that let me ask a few questions:
> 
> Did you see the way Klaus can't seem to help himself even after telling himself numerous times he's let her move on?
> 
> What about the way we actually see how much of an impact his little actions, words and gifts left on Caroline over the years?
> 
> Does anyone else foresee the possibility of 'trouble in paradise' on the Coraline front?
> 
> So hopefully you won't murder me just yet :P I also wanted to show how everything they do has consequences, minor as they may be (like the Hollow being trapped for good but the whole voices bit) trying to go with some continuity here.
> 
> Also, I just realized how many truth bombs were dropped when seeing things from Caroline's point of view. For someone as bubbly and talkative as her, she really does keep a lot of things on the inside. So that's fun to write.
> 
> Anyway, talk to me! I wanna hear it all :) Until next Wednesday, cheers.
> 
> Also I'm occasionally going to add my writing playlist at the bottom (honestly I keep forgetting to add it) so if that's something you want to set the mood with, check it out! It's usually what I visualize as playing in the scene (getting all Director-y here) or sometimes it's just what I'm listening to while writing that bit. Interpret it however you like!
> 
> \--  
> SOUNDTRACK:
> 
> "Is this goodbye, Caroline?"  
> 'Over You' - Ingrid Michaelson, A Great Big World  
> \--  
> Urgh, Klaus will you stop haunting me!  
> 'How' - Regina Spektor


	26. Back to School

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Klaus settles into his 'normal' life and everything that comes with it. Hope worries about Jake and Alaric interviews an applicant for Supernatural Consultant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always you guys have been AMAZING with sharing your thoughts and love with me; I'm also pretty excited to see some new readers who joined and got to binge-read the story till now. Happy face!
> 
> I've been a little distracted this week, what with the Supernatural SERIES FINALE coming up but don't worry, I promised weekly chapter updates so you'll get them. This week's "episode" has dare-I-say a sneak peek at the 'old' Klaus as he settles into his 'new normal' and the various aspects that come with it. There are some important developments happening on the school front and there's new character I've sort of imbibed into the universe so I'm excited for y'all to read that.
> 
> Disclaimer: None of this TVD stuff is mine, I just like to pretend it is.

Klaus thought he was settling into his life of freedom quite well. Even with Hope saying that it might be another two weeks before she came home to visit because of school activities, he found himself engaging in things that he had never given much thought to before.

His joy of painting was something he had gotten back in touch with a while ago but it was quite the change when he was doing it as a passion and not just as a venting mechanism for when he was angry or as a way to calm his mind while he strategized.

This time, he was painting simply for pleasure's sake and he was coming to realize, it was quite wonderful.

He had also begun to purposefully take time out of his day to spend with his family, particularly Freya who was currently in her eighth month and quite the snappy delight to be around. He especially enjoyed his time with her because it more than often came with an opportunity to watch her boss Rebekah around, something that was proving to be very entertaining.

His baby sister had decided to stay back till the birth of Freya's child while Marcel had returned to New York soon after the Hollow had been siphoned out of Klaus. He supposed the boy was building a life in the Big Apple and had things he had to get back to.

Klaus stepped back from his easel and was just starting to compile some of his old paintings to put away into storage when Rebekah marched straight into his studio and dropped herself on to his reading chair. Klaus turned to face her and when she didn't say anything, raised his eyebrows.

"What, Rebekah?" He asked, unable to help the hint of impatience in his tone as he continued to move his canvases around.

"I'm bored." Klaus laughed lightly at her bland declaration.

"Is our sister not keeping you busy enough with all her pregnancy demands?"

"Yes, but Keelin's taken some time off from work to be with her so honestly there's not much left for me to do."

"Ah."

"Also, I miss Marcel…"

"I don't see how I can help you there, sister." Klaus shrugged, continuing to go about his work. Rebekah stood up from the chair and came to stand behind him.

"And what exactly are _you_ doing?" She asked, her eyes darting across the different frames, rolls and canvasses that had been set against the wall. "You're not exactly the type to organize, Nik; destruction has always been more of your thing." Klaus chuckled drily.

"I suppose this could be considered a combination of the two," he stated. "I'm just sorting some of these to put away. I might even toss some of them."

"Toss them?" Rebekah' eyes went wide in surprise and Klaus watched as she bent down to pick a small picture he had made decades ago of flowers that used to grow on the outskirts of the city. "Are you really throwing this one away?"

"Some of them are quite old –"

"YOU are quite old."

Klaus rolled his eyes and huffed out another laugh at his sister's words, only stopping when he saw her looking at him with glint of excitement in her eyes.

"What?"

"Nik, I've the most _brilliant_ idea…"

* * *

Caroline's life had been a whirlwind of activity ever since she'd returned to Mystic Falls after her week in New Orleans so it was safe to say that getting engaged had added a whole other dimension of drama to the situation.

Barely a week since Cory proposed and she was already flying off to the other side of the world in order to continue her search for alternatives to the Merge problem and spells that could help, ideally without the need to take a life as was being pointed out by one too many people she met up with. The more conversations she had, the clearer it was becoming that there may not be another way to go about it. The more contacts she got clarifications from, the closer she was getting to a point where she would finally have to tell Alaric the truth, which was something that she was not particularly looking forward to, knowing he wasn't going to take it well.

And then there was Cory. He was one of the most tolerant people she knew but even he had voiced his displeasure at her having to travel again so soon, so much that the tension that it created had reached a point where Caroline thought some temporary space might do them some good.

Because after all, she told herself, distance makes the heart fonder.

She wasn't sure why Klaus' face crossed her mind just then but she shook it off.

If all that weren't enough to cram into her life, Alaric had called her while she was in between destinations to inform her that it had been confirmed that MG is indeed a Ripper. She didn't ask for details but knew that it was something that would have to be urgently dealt with once she got back especially since they hadn't been able to locate a supernatural counselor for the school yet.

There were also rumors of an inspection of the school grounds by the Mystic Falls High staff and a couple of students to prep for a possible inter-school match on campus that could happen anytime over the next three weeks.

She sighed and tugged her coat tighter as the train she was on pulled into the station for a small town that she'd heard was home to a very old witch with possible distant connections to the Gemini Coven.

 _You'll make it through this_ , she told herself and began to step out.

* * *

Hope had just about come to terms with the fact that she had chosen not to disclose to her aunt Freya or her father that she had woken up to voices on the night that Jake had come to visit, voices that she was sure were connected to the Hollow. She only hoped she wouldn't come to regret that choice later.

Her rational mind was telling her that it was just a dream and the Hollow had probably just been on her mind after that day's siphoning events. Moreover, it appeared to have been an isolated incident that never happened again following that one time.

Not that she went back into that creepy room to confirm.

What _did_ worry her was the fact that Jake had mentioned hearing the voices in the basement too. But then again, she hadn't really confirmed if he'd simply exaggerated to prove his claim that she had a creepy basement or if he was being literal.

Honestly she hadn't really given it much thought because her mind was mostly occupied by another more appealing event from that day.

That kiss… just remembering it brought a smile to her face. The drive back to Mystic Falls that weekend had felt more fun than usual and Jake had even come to meet her a couple of times outside school during the week.

But now, less than a week and things had reverted to radio silence again. Hope briefly wondered if it had something to do with his sister like the last time. Fortunately or not, she didn't have time to give it much thought with all the school work that was piling up. She had gotten so busy, she had dropped her plan to go home that weekend; which sucked because that was another shot at meeting and confronting Jake that went missed.

It was when his communication breakdown bled into the next week that she began to worry. She was getting a weird gut feeling and decided she needed to go out and look for him, just on the off chance that he was in trouble.

She went to the Mystic Grill and sat in her usual spot at the table outside, hoping that she would be able to catch him when he got done with his shift. As always, a smiling Landon was ready to greet her with her favorite Peanut Butter blast. She accepted her drink and before he could walk away she called out to him.

"Landon, have you seen Jake?" She asked, some of the worry she had been feeling spilling into her voice as she spoke.

"That's so weird, he actually didn't show up today," Landon said with a shrug. "Come to think of it, he's been doing that quite a bit this week. At this rate he's surely going to get fired or replaced. I tried to tell him –"

"The last time you saw him," Hope interrupted Landon's spiel, "Did he seem okay? Did he mention anything like troubles at home or with family…" Landon shook his head.

"No, he was his usual working self," he said, shaking his head. "Not that he's a man of many words anyway."

"Yeah, I guess. Thanks, Landon." He nodded at her and walked away to another to another table and she frowned, hoping that wherever Jake was, he was doing okay.

* * *

Alaric was having a particularly frustrating week; Caroline was out of town traveling to meet some old contacts to confirm her findings regarding the Merge and even though he had already told her that he trusted her to figure things out before he opened up to her, it hadn't been easy agreeing to be kept in the dark, particularly when it came to the welfare of his daughters.

And to top it all, his attempts to find someone who could possibly help MG with his Ripper problem was proving fruitless. Various people had reached out to him with suggestions but none of them seemed particularly useful or the right fit.

And this was precisely why he was glad to be on the phone with Caroline right now, informing her that someone had finally sent in an application letter to join the School as a supernatural counselor.

"Well, she's a vampire," Alaric started, "And quite an old one, it would seem… at least, based on the stuff she's listed on here," he added, his eyes browsing over her resume.

"Yeah, it looks like she's more of a researcher though," Caroline replied, presumably going through the copy he had sent her. "The counseling thing seems more like a thing she does on the side."

"But that could still be a useful combination for us, right? I mean, we are a school for supernaturally gifted children and also, this is the only promising applicant we have had so far." Caroline was silent on her end and Alaric assumed she was giving it a thought.

"When did you say she's getting there?"

"She's flying in from London tonight," Alaric confirmed, checking his notebook where he had scribbled the details down. "She'll be coming for her interview tomorrow."

"Shoot. I won't be able to make it back by then. I've still got things to finish up here."

"I can handle it, Caroline," Alaric assured her. "You… do what you have to. For our girls." He heard Caroline sigh.

"Yeah, okay. Let me know how it goes."

The next morning, with ten minutes left to ten am, there was a sharp knock on Alaric's door and a teacher's head peeped in.

"Dorian?" Alaric asked, not getting up from his desk. "What's wrong?"

"She's here," was all he said before he stepped aside to reveal an extremely well dressed woman with a head of curly red hair that fell over her shoulders brightly contrasting against her dark clothing. The woman stepped forward and Dorian stepped out, shutting the door behind him. Alaric immediately stood up from his seat.

"Miss… Arianna Fell?"

"Indeed. And you're Dr. Alaric Saltzman, I presume?" Her posh accent somehow seemed to emphasize on the majestic tone to her overall appearance.

"Yes, I am." He came forward to shake her hand and she just glanced at his outstretched palm like he was being strange. Frowning, he took back his hand and clasped his fingers together. "And you're… early." Arianna let out a light laugh, her eyes darting around the room and seeming to take in the decor of his office.

"I have to admit I was rather excited to be coming here," she beamed. "I take great pride in being well-versed with all things supernatural so you can imagine your school has been on my list for quite some time now." Alaric responded with a formal smile as her watched her continue to walk around the room, observing things.

"Well, I'm flattered but…" he started carefully. "I'm sorry to say, we haven't really heard much about _you_." Her eyes snapped away from a bookcase she was going through to look at him and she smiled sweetly.

"When you're a creature of the night as old as I am," she said matter-of-factly, "you learn it's better to be content having your name being famous only in _select_ circles." Alaric's eyes narrowed as he watched her walk towards his desk and he gestured at the chair across him.

"Please have a seat."

"Thank you," she replied, promptly sitting down at Alaric's desk.

"So…Miss Arianna Fell," he started, pulling open a drawer and taking out the resume he had been sent earlier. "If it weren't for that fact that you aren't from here, you would fit right in as member of the Founding Families in Mystic Falls with that name," he observed in a light attempt to break the ice.

"If you're talking about the Fell family then I'm almost sorry to say… that _is_ my family lineage," she confessed and Alaric's eyebrows shot up in confusion. "I _am_ a member of the Fell family."

"Wha – wait, seriously?" Alaric narrowed his eyes at her. "I'm sorry; I didn't realize the Fell family had any roots on the… other side of the pond."

"I don't know if I mentioned it Mr. Saltzman," Arianna began, "… but I've been around for _quite_ a long time and I'm well aware Mystic Falls is a town that has a lot of secrets, most of the truths you'd only be privy to if you'd been there to witness it firsthand." Alaric let out a dry laugh.

"That's an understatement," he said, shaking his head. "So you got turned here?"

"I was just a young girl who had the misfortune of being a vampire in a small town where it was particularly frowned upon to be one. With the rest of the founding families wanting to have me killed I got as far as I could and ended up in London. Of course, I was new to being a vampire myself; I didn't know much aside from the whispers I'd overheard amongst the elders. And so I decided to learn whatever I can and I suppose that's where the interest in research began, really. Psychology was just something that intrigued me as time passed and I decided to take it up on a whim." She exhaled deeply and smiled at Alaric. "So here I am; a trained psychiatrist with a supernatural twist. That's what you were looking for, wasn't it?"

"Yeah," Alaric nodded at her. "So I'm guessing you know we have a possible Ripper on our hands. We were mostly hoping you would be able to help with that using your… _unique_ set of skills."

"Well I _am_ a vampire and I must say I have come across my fair share of Rippers in my time." Alaric frowned at her.

"Really?"

"I believe you had a resident Ripper in this very town, yes? A certain Salvatore…"

"Wow, wait…" Alaric huffed out a laugh. "How old did you say you were exactly?"

"Hush now," Arianna waved him off with a light giggle "You know it's impolite to ask a woman her age." She leaned forward on the desk and looked straight at Alaric. "Suffice to say, I'm _very_ good at what I do." Alaric swallowed; there was something about the old vampire that was oddly intimidating. "And it's not just vampires," she continued, "I've worked with witches and wolves before so I'm offering to extend my counseling skills to them as well."

"Right." Alaric observed her carefully; he was intrigued that's for sure. She was exactly what they needed right now and appeared to have knowledge that could be valuable to them.

She seemed to notice the way he was studying her and she smiled at him.

"So is this interview going well or not?"

* * *

"The rules are clear! We're taking a poll among the witches, vampires and werewolves and everyone gets ONE vote each!"

Lizzie Saltzman was waving her arms at Hope as they scurried down the hall towards the School's administration offices.

"I can't help it if I'm all three! What am I supposed to do, pick one?" Hope snapped back, jogging slightly to keep up with Lizzie long-legged pace. "And why are we taking this to your Dad? This is for a vote to decide the theme of this year's school play; hardly something worth bringing the Headmaster in for."

"Well, your lack of interest is skewing my poll results so I just want to set some of the ground rules before we –" They barged in to Alaric's office only to see him in conversation with someone seated across. As soon as he saw them, his face turned to one of impatience.

"Girls! In a meeting!" He gritted his teeth at them.

"Well, Dad, this is important," Lizzie pouted, her arms crossed in front of her chest. Hope on the other hand was looking at the guest in the room who had now stood up and turned to face them. She smiled at them and glanced at Alaric.

"It would seem you weren't joking about your open-door policy when it came to your students," she stated and Alaric gave her an awkward smile. He cleared his throat and gestured at them.

"Miss Fell, that's my daughter Lizzie."

"Oh… one of the last remaining witches of the Gemini Coven. Interesting…" She gave Lizzie a once-over and then slowly walked up to Hope with a curious frown. "And who might this lovely lady be?" She flashed Hope a smile that made her slightly uneasy.

"That is one of our brightest students, Hope Mikaelson." Hope watched the woman's bright green eyes go wide, not missing Lizzie's eye-roll in the background.

"Bloody hell, you're the famous Tribrid." Arianna's voice was almost a whisper. "You're… the daughter of the Original Hybrid Niklaus Mikaelson." Hope chuckled awkwardly.

"That… would be me," she agreed with a half smile. And to her utter surprise, the lady reached out and lightly stroked her hair. Hope's eyebrows shot up, her gaze darting to Alaric's for help. But before Alaric could say anything, the lady addressed her directly.

"Do you mind if I have a few sessions with you as well? I'd love to hear about the dormancy of vampire traits in a Tribrid before it's been activated." She spoke in an even tone but the excitement was evident in her voice. Hope frowned.

"No offense, but _who_ are you?" Hope asked, her eyes widening. Alaric laughed apologetically and walked around his desk to stand next to Lizzie.

"Girls, this is Miss Arianna Fell. And it looks like she might just be your new Supernatural Counselor," he explained, gesturing at the red-haired woman. "Now are you going to tell me what couldn't wait that you two had to interrupt my conversation with Miss Fell?" He raised an eyebrow at Hope and Lizzie who smiled awkwardly back at him.

"You know what? We can come back later…" Hope started and began to walk back towards the door, followed by Lizzie.

"Yeah, Dad. It's fine," Lizzie added and they slipped out, shutting the door behind them, leaving Alaric with Arianna who was now looking pointedly at him.

"So does this mean that I'm hired?" She asked with the same sweet smile that now looked to Alaric like it had been plastered on. He shrugged.

"Look, Miss Fell… this is something completely new for the school and I need to discuss it with my partner first before we confirm anything. But for now, let's just start with a month, _purely_ on a trial basis," Alaric clarified. "You'll get an office to hold your sessions and do your research on the one condition that a copy of all your studies be submitted to our School library." Arianna's smile widened and she let out a small laugh.

"Trust me, Dr. Saltzman. With this place being the gold mine for the supernatural researcher in me, you may not even have to pay me." She tilted her head at him. "I will keep my own research assistant, though."

* * *

Klaus was almost surprised at the fact that Rebekah's initiative was something he found agreeable.

His little sister had decided she wants to do an exhibit of his works in New Orleans. She had convinced him that if he was planning to get rid of them or worse, hide them away, an exhibition hall would be a much more deserving home for them.

" _Just because you paint for yourself, doesn't mean these aren't worth sharing with anyone," she chided him._

The more he thought about it, the more it made sense he supposed; this enterprise would give him the chance to clear a lot of his older works out of the house and honestly it would make for a nice project to keep Rebekah occupied and keep her boredom at bay… at least for the moment.

In fact his only condition on which she does this was that he not be involved in any of it. Rebekah did manage to negotiate him making an appearance on opening night but other than that it was all in her hands and that seemed convenient enough for him.

At a certain point Klaus began to wonder just how much of his humanity had been reprogrammed into his system following his brief second stint of being human. It would have been simpler to let that be a suitable explanation as to why he was attempting to be more open, why he seemed to be allowing his sisters to talk him into various things.

It was also probably why he was currently standing outside St. Anne's Church with Freya ready to sit in on a meeting with the Factions.

"Thank you for joining me, Brother," Freya said to him as they walked in and down the aisle of the dimly lit church towards a table that was set up in front of the altar. "I think it would do you good to be a part of these meetings since you were the one who put it together all those years ago. For better or worse we need to work on building alliances if we plan to continue living in the peace that we are currently enjoying. Besides, you're practically a whole new section of the Faction."

"I prefer to think I'm a combination of two existing ones instead," he mused with a smirk as he and Freya took their seats. There were a couple of people that Klaus didn't recognize but Freya had warned him about that.

"Ever since Marcel told the vampires to leave the city, there's not too many that remain here," Freya had explained before they got there. "And the few that do don't deem it valid enough to have a representative in the Faction. The werewolves had never felt welcome in the Faction anyway so their attendance is usually dependent upon whether they feel like it."

One person that Klaus did recognize, very well in fact, was Declan, the boy who had been dating Hayley before her death. He was busy in conversation with a couple of other people who had come for the meeting but he soon came to the table and sat across from Klaus, his bright blue eyes burning into his. He cleared his throat and directly addressed him.

"Looks like you'll be representing the Vampires and the Werewolves today, Klaus Mikaelson," he started with a straight face before turning to Freya. "Lovely to see you, Freya. How are you feeling?"

"Like I'm ready to burst," Freya said with a tired smile. She shot a quick glance at Klaus before continuing. "Look, I know my family hasn't had the best record in terms of peace, especially with this one here" – she tilted her head at Klaus who had to hold back from rolling his eyes – "but we're both here as a sign of good faith and we hope to build a relationship that could be beneficial for all of us." Declan leaned forward with his elbows on the table, crossing his fingers.

"I believe _you_ ," he said pointedly looking at her before his gaze shifted to Klaus. "Him on the other hand, I've interacted with him once and I can't say it's something I got a kick out of. In fact, I only even remember that exchange because I was freed from his compulsion when he died." Freya started to respond when Klaus put his arm over hers to stop her and spoke instead.

"Believe it or not, _Declan_ ," Klaus sneered at his name as he continued. "We are _genuinely_ looking to broker a peace deal with the Humans and from my experience most of these move along faster when I know what's in it for all parties involved. So tell me…" He narrowed his eyes at the Irishman. "What do you _want_? Money?" Declan looked at the other two people by his side and scoffed.

"What could you possibly hope to offer us that could erase the pain and suffering you've caused? You think a page out of your check book can just wipe your slate clean?"

"Well, financial padding is what most humans seem to aspire to during their short existence. If you'd prefer not to –"

"We're currently working on restoring and repairing historically important structures in the city, including parts of this very church which you lot had a hand in damaging in the first place. You can send your contributions that way." Klaus pondered over something for a moment before he spoke.

"I'll do you one better," Klaus responded. "I'm holding an exhibit of my art in a week or so. I can turn it into a fund raiser and all the proceeds from the show shall be directed towards your cause." Klaus raised an eyebrow at the human and watched him carefully as he seemed to mull over the offer. He stretched his hand out to Klaus.

"That's actually great," Declan said shortly with surprise evident in his voice. Klaus reacted with a firm nod, ignoring Declan's outstretched hand and leaning back against his chair.

"Fantastic. Are we done here?" He asked, turning to Freya.

"I'm pretty sure we made our point," Freya frowned at him and looked at Declan as she slowly stood up from her seat. "Unless, there's anything else?"

"No, thank you," he shrugged. "Send my love to Hope, Freya. And a special hello to your lovely friend Caroline," he called out after them as they walked away from the table.

Klaus stopped in his tracks, his jaw clenched in anger. He was just about ready to storm back and start a line of questioning combined with torture that involved finding out how exactly Declan was connected to Caroline when he felt a tight palm on his shoulder.

"Let it _go_ , Brother," Freya insisted. He let out a displeased growl but agreed with her all the same and continued on his path out the church. As soon as he stepped out and they began to head to the car, a gruff voice rang out.

"So it's true… Klaus Mikaelson is once again part of the faction."

Klaus turned and his gaze fell on a scruffy man in a leather jacket leaning against the church's exterior stone wall with a smug look on his face. He could tell the man was a werewolf and scoffed in disbelief at the overwhelming sense of déjà vu he was getting from the situation. "I just had to see for myself," the stranger chuckled, making Klaus narrow his eyes at him.

"Is this going to be a regular occurrence now?" Klaus sneered. "I walk out of an establishment, wolf attempts to kill me, fails miserably –"

"We all know that wasn't you," the man snapped. "Whoever that blonde blood-sucker was, she's definitely on my hit list next." The words were barely out of his mouth before Klaus roared and pounced on him, his eyes flashing bright gold as he held the man pinned to the floor. His hands firmly held the wolf's shoulders in place as her bared his set of double fangs ready to tear his throat out.

"What in the HELL is going on here?" Klaus heard Declan's horrified tone and could then sense more people gathering behind him. "Let him go, Klaus, that's the Wolf representative of the Faction!"

Klaus didn't budge. Instead he calmly moved his palm to wrap around the werewolf's neck.

"Well then consider this his penalty for skipping on a meeting and we'll all go our merry way," Klaus growled with a cold smile as he began to tighten his hold, eliciting a choke out of the wolf.

"Klaus, STOP!" Freya had come to stand beside him. Klaus's eyes snapped to his sister's in indignation, still kneeling as he maintained his grip on his prisoner.

"Do you really expect me to let him live after he just declared his plans to kill Caroline? A target that would appear to be part of a list that most definitely includes us and the rest of the family?"

"I promise you he won't do that," Declan insisted, coming up next to Freya. His confidence made Klaus let out a humorless chortle and just then, the wolf spoke up, gaining Klaus' attention again.

"I'm not afraid of you, _Hybrid_ ," he spat at him from the ground. "Why would I when I've been hearing about how you've tamed so much since you returned from the dead." Klaus laughed wryly, shaking his head in disbelief.

"You must _really_ have a death wish if you're being so impudent in a situation when I could kill you with one flick of my wrist."

"Alright, no one's murderin' anyone…" Declan started.

"I beg to differ; he seems to be quite intent on meeting his maker by the way he's running his mouth."

"He's part of the faction and he WILL respect the code," Declan's gaze shifted from Klaus' angry visage to look at the man being held flat on the pavement. "Won't you, Barry?"

Barry was choking again under the wavering pressure of Klaus' fingers against his throat and barely managed to breathe out the word "Fine" upon which Klaus stood up, pulling the wolf up by the collar with him and calmly adjusted the edged of the man's jacket.

All of a sudden, in a show of superior Hybrid speed and strength, Klaus flashed to the church's wrought iron gate, broke off a rod from the grill and in the blink of an eye had impaled the wolf in the chest, the sharp tip coming out the other side and missing his heart by an inch.

"KLAUS!" Freya and Declan yelled as blood began to slowly drip out of Barry's mouth.

"It's unfortunate, but he'll live," Klaus drawled and leaned closer, his eyes burning amber again at the wolf's now fearful gaze. "If I find out that you or anyone you know has laid your paws on anyone that matters to me, just remember…" He grabbed and twisted the bar for good measure, earning a groan out of the wolf. "… The next time I won't be so merciful." Klaus dropped his hold on the makeshift spear and stepped back with a smug smile on his face, turning to Freya. "Shall we, sister?"

Freya rolled her eyes at her brother's antics and they walked to his car as Declan watched on in horror while the other two men with him rushed to help Barry.

The drive back to the Mikaelson home was quiet; they were almost half the way home when Klaus decided to address what he was sure was going on in Freya's mind.

"Sister, if there's something you want to say, say it."

"I think you were right to handle that wolf the way you did," Freya shrugged and Klaus' eyes shifted off the road for a second to throw a look of surprise at his sister who simply tilted her head at him. "The iron bar was a bit much but… people thinking you're the Big, bad Wolf actually works to our benefit; believe it or not." Klaus laughed lightly.

"I have to admit it felt good," he confessed, earning a wide-eyed look from Freya. "To vent with violence," he clarified, which he realized didn't make it sound any better as she then scoffed at him. "Centuries of old habits just don't die overnight, Sister," he said, matter-of-factly.

"They _did_ threaten our family. Well, mostly Caroline but whatever works," she said giving him the same smirk that he threw around so often. He rolled his eyes at his sister and their conversation drifted off as he lost himself in his thoughts.

"I was wondering," Klaus started, breaking the silence, "if my outburst back there was perhaps an unforeseen side-effect of not having seen Hope in a while." Freya's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

Klaus sighed as he took a turn on the road and smoothly moved into his space in front of their home. He shut the engine and turned to Freya with a wistful look on his face.

"All my life, our brother Elijah has been the one who kept me grounded; well, as much as I could be I suppose. Calling him my 'conscience' might be fairly closer in terms of describing it," he added with a dry laugh. "But in the time that I've been back on this plane I've come to get the sense… that my daughter is the one who represents that role in my life now… in a way." Freya raised her eyebrows, looking at her brother in understanding.

"You should call her home this weekend," Freya said with a smile that Klaus returned.

"I'll go pick her up myself," he said, getting out of the car before Freya could protest.

* * *

Caroline stood at the entrance of the Salvatore School and smiled as she watched her fiancé push his trolley of first-aid supplies for the School's infirmary.

"You know there are people who do a much better job with the grunt work," she teased as he wheeled by her. "You don't have to personally deliver this yourself. Plus, now that you're acquainted with the supernatural, I'm sure you know just how much of this is actually going to go unused."

"Are you kidding?" Cory laughed as he wiped sweat off his brow. "When your fiancée has been out of town all week you take every chance you can get to bump into her."

Caroline smiled back at him, almost apologetically. It was true that she had been out of the country revisiting some of her old contacts about the new developments on the Gemini curse and the theory revolving around it being something that can be reversed.

If she was being honest with herself, despite how morbid her reasons were, getting out for a bit actually turned out being a bit of a relief for her. The stress had been unnaturally getting to her lately, what with the School's activities…

The conditions involved with saving her children…

Becoming a fiancée, followed by Cory subsequently moving in…

The look on Klaus' face as she told him about her engagement and saying goodbye to him… again…

She swallowed as she thought back on their 'almost moment' just prior to her blurting out that she was engaged and how that moment shouldn't even have happened in the first place.

She was snapped out of her thoughts when she realized that Cory had moved around his box of supplies to stand right in front of her. She shook her head and couldn't help but laugh as he flashed a flirtatious smile at her. Before she could react he leaned in, stealing a kiss and leaving her blushing.

"Cory!" She scoffed at him in mock indignation. "We are on _school_ grounds."

"So? Technically, your house is on school grounds and I don't see you having an issue with any of the _other_ things that we do –"

"I don't want my students to catch the headmistress snogging with the Med guy!"

"Did you just say _snogging_?"

"I'm inclined to agree with the Headmistress."

Caroline froze as she heard the familiar accented voice, wondering for a moment if she was imagining things.

She slowly turned around to see Klaus standing at the school entrance with a smug smile and his hands clasped behind his back. She had been so engrossed in her conversation with Cory that she hadn't even noticed his car come in to the school's driveway. Her eyes went wide and she could see his smirk as bright as day from where she was standing.

"Hello Love."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooh, Klaus and Cory haven't properly met before, have they? This should be fun.
> 
> It was fun imagining the kind of things that would be "normal" in Klaus' life when he isn't going around on a murdering spree, planning his revenge and so on. I wanted to work out situations that went with his current state of mind and were just close enough to that so as to not lose his personality completely in the process. I sincerely hope that came through.
> 
> As always when there's a new character I like to cast the person in the notes. For some reason I couldn't pinpoint one single actress; at one point I considered Debra Messing with an accent (not sure if she could pull it off in my head lol) but then my brain moved on to funny visuals like a 'sexy' version of Professor Dolores Umbridge. LOLOL So you guys, choose!
> 
> Spread the KC love if you're enjoying this story or just talk to me! Because you know I love to hear from you guys! :D Your positive vibes are what push me to work on my writing, so thank you <3
> 
> Until next week, cheers.


	27. Communication Breakdown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Klaus and Cory officially meet. Hope goes home after weeks and Caroline has a difficult day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me start by saying: check out the SWEET EDIT made for my story on tumblr by the amazing @eliliyah [if you haven't read this KC award winner's stories yet, READ TODAY!] The reco & art really was the sunshine in my dark murky day, so THANK YOU!
> 
> Shout out to all my lovelies who have been binging and talking chapters with me along the way [y'all know who you are ;)] Much love!
> 
> We crossed 220 Kudos! Thank you to everyone who showed their appreciation and/or took a moment to write in and share their love for the story. You guys push me through my writing slumps.
> 
> So FYI: after this chapter, it's going to be another 4 "episodes" before we take a break for the Holidays. I've no idea what that's going to look like this year but hey, we carry on. I'll do my bit by making sure these upcoming chapters are great reads if that helps (or at least I'll try lol)
> 
> This may seem like a simple chapter but I feel like some important conversations are had and strong emotions are conveyed. I hope that comes across.
> 
> P.S. I already cast Arianna last week but I decided I should stop being all Director-like and let you guys visualize who you want XD
> 
> Disclaimer: TVD world, wish it was mine but it ain't.

"Klaus." Caroline gasped, her mind spinning for a moment as she spotted the handsome Hybrid looking annoyingly good in his fitting grey Henley and leather jacket… before she came to a panicked realization.

Klaus Mikaelson is _here_.

On campus.

One which he is banned from entering.

With a quick apologetic 'be right back' to Cory, she vamp-sped outside, leaving behind her very confused fiancé with his trolley of medical supplies. She came to a stop in front of Klaus and glowered at him.

"Klaus… what the _hell_?!" She whispered angrily as she grabbed his arm and ushered him to the side of his car – an action she's sure he only allowed her to do – hoping to move him away from prying eyes of the students walking around. "You're not supposed to be here!"

"Lovely to see you too, Caroline. Don't worry, I'm just leaving," he said with a shrug. "I'm simply waiting for my daughter so I can take her home with me… and the wolf boy who will be driving us." Caroline's annoyance simmered a bit and she tilted her head at him, giving him a curious look.

"I didn't know you were in town," she started, hesitating a bit before she continued. "Why didn't you tell me?

"Would it have made a difference to you?" He raised an eyebrow.

The earnest way that Klaus said it, Caroline wasn't sure if the statement was meant to be taunting her or not.

"Well, I wouldn't have let you on campus for one thing," she said, shooting him a half-hearted glare. "If anyone at the school… a student or worse, a teacher notices…"

A small smile suddenly appeared on her face as a long distant memory came back to her. "Need I remind you of that promise you made all those years ago?" She asked, her tone teasing.

Klaus chuckled, leaning closer to whisper into her ear.

"I'm quite certain I broke that promise already, love." Something about the way he said it made Caroline suddenly acutely aware of their close proximity.

"Care!" came a voice out of nowhere making her jump, only to see Cory standing before them with his customary smiling face. "You didn't tell me the Original Hybrid was going to be in town." He turned towards Klaus with a questioning glance. "So who're you here to kill today?"

"CORY! _Seriously_?" Caroline's eyes widened with a scolding look she gave him but Klaus had an amused smile on his face.

"What, too soon? I haven't really gotten to the end of the books yet," Cory stated and Caroline huffed out a laugh, relieved he was only joking around. She shook her head at him and turned to Klaus.

"Ever since I told Cory about the supernatural world, he's been reading some of the books here to catch up. Sounds like YOU just entered the scene, Big Bad Wolf," she explained, her words widening the smirk on Klaus' face. Caroline shrugged and came forward to stand between the two men. "I guess you guys haven't been properly introduced. Klaus, this is my fiancé Cory. Cory, this is –"

"Klaus Mikaelson," he broke in and extended his hand to the young Doctor. "I hear congratulations are in order." Cory responded with a strong hand-shake and glanced at Caroline with a smile.

"Yeah, I got lucky with this one. She's pretty special," he said, giving her a small wink. Caroline rolled her eyes.

"Such a charmer," she laughed, narrowing her eyes at him and chewing her bottom lip. So engrossed was she in her fiancé's playful words that she missed the wound up look on Klaus' face as he watched their interaction.

"I'm going to have to agree with you there, mate," Klaus suddenly spoke, breaking the newly engaged couple out of their bubble. "Caroline is… _quite_ special."

Caroline's eyes darted to his, her lips parting. Cory on the other hand looked at Klaus with an almost suspicious frown and laughed lightly.

"Yeah, she is…" he agreed. "Anyway, I'm err… going to get back to it," he said, gesturing at the empty cartons behind him. "Nice meeting you, Mr. Mikaelson," he said, extending his hand for another handshake.

"Please… call me Klaus," the Hybrid practically purred as he squeezed Cory's hand in response, making Caroline slightly uncomfortable as she wondered about any deadly repercussions from the two of them meeting. Cory on the other hand was smiling brightly, blissfully unaware of any tension in the air.

"Alright, _Klaus_ ," he emphasized with a grin and turned to Caroline for a quick kiss. "I'll see you tonight, Hon," he said, pushing his trolley away. As soon as he was out of ear-shot, Caroline crossed her arms and turned to Klaus, fuming.

"What was that?" She glared at him. Klaus raised his eyebrows, smirking at her.

"Whatever are you talking about, sweetheart?"

"You _know_ what I'm talking about. 'Caroline is quite special'? Seriously, Klaus? I haven't exactly told him about our… you know…"

"No, I _don't_ know, Caroline. Our what exactly?" Klaus insisted, locking eyes with her as he spoke. Caroline held his gaze for a moment before she blinked and cleared her throat.

"Our… history."

Klaus let out a short laugh.

"Well, history or not, it looks like you've come full circle love… back to the Matt Donovan template it would seem." Caroline's eyes widened at his observation and she scoffed in indignation.

"How do you even KNOW about… ugh, never mind," she said, shaking her head resignedly. "Klaus just… please leave before someone recognizes you or I'll have another crisis on my hands to deal with." He started to respond when he saw Hope stepping out with her bag and walking towards him.

"Hey Dad!" She wrapped her arms around him and he kissed his daughter's forehead.

"Ready to leave, sweetheart?" He asked, stroking her hair.

"Yeah, but you should REALLY get inside the car. It will get crazy if anyone spots you. I'll come in on the other side. Hey, Miss Forbes," Hope said, waving and moving to walk around the other side of the car.

She opened the car door and began to drop her bag when she spotted Jake… coming out of the school. Hope frowned and walked up to him, stopping him in his determined stride towards the driver's side of the car. "Haven't seen you around lately," she started, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Been busy," Jake responded shortly.

Hope's gaze shifted briefly to the school entrance before settling back on him. "What were you doing in my school? You have friends here?"

"I know some of the guys in the pack here, yeah," he said, shrugging. "We should get going," he said, walking past her and getting into the driver's seat. Hope sighed, shaking her head and turning to get into the car herself. "Dad, come on!" she called out to Klaus who still appeared to be conversing with Miss Forbes.

"Just a moment, sweetheart," Klaus said and turned to Caroline. "You know, I'm doing an art exhibit next weekend to raise money for the Human faction; trying to build alliances and all that. I'd be delighted if you came… that is, if you're available." Klaus flashed his dimples at her. "I suppose you can bring your little human along too," he added as an afterthought that was accompanied by an eye-roll and Caroline's eyebrows knitted together in suspicion.

"This is new. How did it happen so fast?"

"Compulsion," Klaus replied matter-of-factly. "I can't let all my Hybrid skills go to waste because of my newly claimed humanitarian attributes." Caroline rolled her eyes and Klaus laughed. "I'm only teasing love; you know I wouldn't be caught dead planning something like this. It's all Rebekah, but then again that brings to question the possibility of compulsion being a factor in moving things along faster."

"Wow, that should go down really well with the _Human_ faction," she snorted and frowned at him. "Why the good deeds all of a sudden?" Klaus sighed.

"From everything that happened since my return, I've come to realize… a thousand years of enemies is too much for one family to face. Too much… to pass on to the next generation." He ran his fingers through his curls. "I realized that as a father, it would be selfish of me to not at the very least try to ease that burden by converting some into allies." Caroline stared at Klaus, he wasn't sure if it was surprise or something else… it almost looked to him like…

Pride.

"Huh," was the only response that escaped her lips as she continued to look into his eyes, as if searching for something to contradict his statement. Klaus let out short laugh.

"My my Caroline, you seem almost disappointed that I'm doing something decent for once like you once claimed I never could." He stepped away from the car door and took a step closer to her, looking straight into her blue eyes. "Would it be too forward of me to ask, if you feel like you missed your shot with me?" His lips curled into a cheeky grin at her look of annoyance.

"Oh please, Klaus," she scoffed, rolling her eyes but Klaus didn't miss the shade of rouge that was spreading across her face. "Also, I _never_ said you couldn't be decent, I'd just wished for you to be so. You know what, it really doesn't matter what I think," she said, crossing her arms in front of her chest again and looking away from him. Klaus leaned in again and her eyes promptly snapped up to his.

"We've known each other a long time, Caroline," he said quietly. "You of all people shouldn't be surprised at what matters to me when it comes to you." His azure gaze burned into her bright blues, only to be interrupted by the sound of Hope tapping on the car window, reminding Klaus they have to leave.

He stepped away from Caroline and turned around to open the car door. Before getting into his seat, he looked back at her and smiled. "I hope you do consider coming to the exhibit next week, _Miss_ _Forbes_ ," he drawled, leaving behind a dazed Caroline who watched as the car moved out of the driveway.

As Klaus' car made its way off the property, Caroline turned and walked back into the school. She passed Cory who was on his way out and gave him a quick kiss before rushing to her office. She was so lost in her thoughts that she walked right into someone. Taken aback, she looked up to see the new Supernatural consultant before her.

"Miss Fell! I'm so sorry, are you okay?" Caroline apologized and the vampire shook her head.

"It's quite alright, Ms. Forbes. Got a lot on your mind?" Arianna asked with a quizzical look and Caroline laughed lightly.

"You could say that…" she shrugged, tucking some of her loose hair behind her ear. "Anyway, I'll just get going –"

"Actually, I was on my way to see you," Arianna interrupted her. "If it isn't any trouble I'd like a word please, in private," she requested, her face turning serious.

Caroline frowned, wondering what this was about. "Err, yeah, sure. I was on my way to the office anyway so…"

A few minutes later, Caroline let Arianna into her spacious office and shut the door behind her. "So…" she started, gesturing at the other woman to take a seat before taking her own across from her. "What can I do for you?" Arianna hesitated slightly and leaned forward before speaking in a low voice.

"Did I just see Niklaus Mikaelson leave the school campus in a car? The Original Hybrid himself?"

Caroline froze.

Her fears of Klaus being spotted had just materialized into reality.

The new teacher had just seen him on campus.

Suddenly she wanted to wring Klaus' neck for so casually showing his face on the school premises when she had clearly warned him of the consequences.

Consequences that she was now left to deal with.

Did she even have a back-up plan? She couldn't even remember anymore.

What direction was she supposed to go? Apologies? Honesty? _Denial_? Arianna must have noticed the uncomfortable look on Caroline's face because she spoke up first.

"If you're considering objecting against my observation, I'd advise against it," she stated and Caroline looked back at her in mild surprise. "I'm an expert in the field of Supernatural history who's lived a long time, Miss Forbes," she explained. "It would be remiss of me not to know things like what the originators of the vampire line look like. Not all that difficult, considering the amount of times they've appeared in photographs over the course of history, if you know _just_ where to look." Arianna smiled at Caroline who laughed drily, shaking her head.

"Respectfully, Miss Fell, I'm going to have to deny your claim," Caroline spoke calmly. "I can't have my students questioning the safety of this school and especially having them worry about the 'Great Evil Klaus Mikaelson' being on campus." She observed Arianna's reaction carefully; worry creeping into her mind as she watched the red-head's lips turn up into an eerie smile.

"Well then, if that's how you'd like to go about it," she said, her smile not wavering for a moment, "I suppose it would be alright if I shared my worries with someone else instead. Some of the parents, perhaps? The children I've been working with have really taken a liking to me and I'm sure I can chance contesting my word against yours."

Caroline was fuming but did her best not to show it; she didn't want to give this vampire the satisfaction. Her gaze burned into Arianna's bright blue ones as she gritted her teeth.

"What do you want?" she growled and Arianna let out a melodious laugh.

"So dramatic, Headmistress Forbes." Arianna stood up from her chair and came around the large desk to stand next to Caroline and loom over her. "I'm just a simple scholar who wants something that will make her stand out far above everyone else in her field because she has a shot at something no one else has."

Caroline pushed her chair back and stood up, her slight upper hand in terms of height giving her the chance to fully glower at the older vampire.

"Spit it out," Caroline snapped. Arianna smiled and turned around to walk away from her, her bright red curls bouncing behind her. She clasped her hands together as she began to slowly pace the room.

"It's simple really," she said, finally placing her palms flat on the table and leaning towards a now livid Caroline. "I want a chance to interview Niklaus Mikaelson."

Caroline's anger suddenly fizzled down to a frown.

"Huh?"

Arianna clicked her tongue at Caroline's confused face.

"I'm a researcher, Miss Forbes," she said plainly. "Getting to sit down with the Original Hybrid himself and studying everything I can about him would be the biggest feather in my cap to date. A chance to do that is all I ask." Arianna tilted her head at the blonde vampire who was looking back at her with narrowed eyes. After a moment of pause, Caroline spoke.

"Fine. I'll talk to him," her voice grated out. " _No_ guarantees." Arianna laughed again and Caroline realized the sound was starting to get on her nerves.

"You won't have to worry about that, Miss Forbes," she smirked. "Just get me in the same room with him. I can be _very_ persuasive," she added with a glint in her eye that made Caroline weirdly uncomfortable.

"Okay, then," Caroline said with finality, nodding slightly at her. "If there's nothing else, I'm going to get back to work."

"Of course, Miss. Forbes, don't let me interrupt you," she said with a saccharine tone that made Caroline sick. "I've a session due with our in-house Ripper in ten minutes anyway. He's doing great, by the way."

The vampire let herself out of the office and Caroline dropped back into her chair, feeling slightly flustered at what had just unfolded.

* * *

Hope was feeling annoyed as she stepped out of the car with her bag. Jake had barely even glanced at her during the entire drive home and even though she was willing to chalk that up to the presence of her father in the car with them, she couldn't help if a small, insecure part of her led her to wonder if his behavior had something to do with their kiss. She shook the idea off a minute later knowing that couldn't be it, considering how they were fine for quite some time after that before he dropped off the grid.

And yet here he was, driving them back to New Orleans like nothing had happened without offering so much as an apology or an explanation to her. His hot-cold temperament was really starting to get on her nerves and she was beginning to question if he was really worth the effort. She was about to give him a piece of her mind when she felt an arm around her shoulder and saw her father had come to stand beside her.

"Welcome back home, sweetheart," he smiled at her and guided her in and she just about managed to steal a glimpse of Jake as he drove away without looking in her direction.

 _I'll deal with that later_.

She walked into the atrium and the feeling of home washed over her, bringing a smile to her face.

"Why does being away from home for two weeks feel like so much longer?" She asked out loud, dropping her bag and walking to the table where a platter of beignets had been set up; her father's doing, she was sure of it.

"You'll have to take my word for it when I say you're not the only one who felt the stretch of time," Klaus said, pulling his daughter back into a warm hug. "I've missed you, my littlest wolf."

"I missed you too, Dad," Hope murmured into his chest and leaned back. "School has been insane and I know I said I'd be home every weekend…"

"Sweetheart, if you're thinking of apologizing for being in school, please don't," Klaus chuckled at his daughter's attempt to explain. "I'm not going anywhere, remember?"

"I know… it's just…" Hope huffed. "The school work-load is already a bit on the heavier side this year and now in addition to all that, my classmates and I have to go for these mandated sessions with the school counselor for a month –"

"Counselor?" Klaus frowned in surprise as Hope took her seat at the table and pulled a plate of beignets towards her. "I didn't realize your school had one of those… or even needed one for that matter."

"Yeah, apparently she's like this researcher-slash-counselor with an interest in the supernatural..." Hope rolled her eyes and took a bite out of the sugary bake. "As for the reason she's even at the school, it's because we just found out that one of my friends is what they call a 'Ripper'…" Klaus' attention perked up and he joined her at the table.

"One of the students at the school… is a Ripper?" Hope's eyebrows furrowed at Klaus' concerned look he was giving her. "I'm guessing you know what that means…"

"Hope, whoever this friend is, you should stay away from them."

" _What_?"

"Even with your advanced powers, he could still be a danger to you." Hope's eyes widened and she scoffed.

"Dad, I'm a Tribrid. And he's my friend, I can't just abandon him when he's in trouble," she exclaimed. Klaus started to say something and seemed to think better of it. He sighed, shaking his head.

"I know you won't do that, Hope, because you… are a good person." He smiled at her but his eyes still had a shade of worry in them. "Just… be careful."

"Always," Hope replied, taking her father's hand across the table and giving it a gentle squeeze before taking it back to busy herself with another beignet. "Thank you, Dad." Klaus leaned back in his chair and crossed his fingers, frowning in thought.

"What do they even think this counselor can do anyway?" He wondered out loud and Hope simply shrugged.

"I guess Dr. Saltzman and Miss Forbes were hoping there's something they could do since they caught this early before it could break out in the worst way. I'm not sure of the details but he has sessions with the counselor and I'm guessing some kind of resistance training is involved…" Klaus absently ran his hands across his chin as he considered the possibility.

"It would certainly be interesting to see if Ripper behavior can be contained but honestly it's a waste of good vampire talent," he laughed as Hope glared at him. "I'm sorry love. It's a start, I suppose, but based on my experience with Rippers, I highly doubt it would make any difference." He sighed. "But for once I hope I'm wrong… for your friend's sake."

"Hope, you're home!" Rebekah's voice rang across the atrium. Hope stood up to greet her aunt who had flashed over to her and wrapped her in a tight hug.

"Hey, Aunt Bekah. Coming back from a party?" Hope asked with a teasing smile, eyeing the elegant gown her aunt was decked up in.

"If only that were the case, my sweet girl," she said, lightly pulling Hope's cheek and looked at Klaus pointedly. "While the fine lot here has been sitting on their arses, I've going out and tracking down the rich and the famous who would be interested in your father's art."

"It was your idea, Rebekah," Klaus shrugged at his sister.

"I'm not complaining Nik, simply making an observation. It won't kill you to offer a hand," Rebekah grumbled, sitting down next to Hope and taking her heels off. "Not to mention Freya's grand suggestion that we abstain from compulsion of any kind as a sign of good faith to the Human faction."

"I can hear you, sister," Freya muttered, appearing out of her room. "My ears are burning." Rebekah stuck her tongue out at her older sister and Klaus couldn't help but chuckle.

"I think that's a great idea –" Klaus started.

"Shut up, Nik," Rebekah sneered at him and Hope began to laugh.

"Wow, it is really is great to be home."

* * *

Caroline walked home at the end of another long day.

Her unexpected run-in with the new in-house counselor earlier that day had left her slightly unsettled but putting out that fire was barely a trip in her tracks compared to the avalanche of work that followed. From meetings with students and discussions with the student body about upcoming school events to talks with Alaric about getting a better estimate on the date for the pending school inspection visit and finishing up with her Merge research for the day, she was tired. A shot of blood was usually all she needed for her to recharge and keep going but today was one of those days that left her with barely enough time to even think.

She walked into her home, almost surprised to see Cory there; she was still getting used to them living together and he just happened to get back from work early today.

"Hey, I'm home," Caroline announced and it came out more like a grumble as she dumped her bags to the side and joined Cory on the couch to cuddle next to him.

"Hey, Care," he said, giving her a soft kiss on her forehead. "Are you okay?" She shook her head.

"I'm fine, I just need to feed –" she started before her eyes went wide and she realized she was talking to Cory. "Oh, I… sorry, that must have sounded creepy to you…" Cory laughed, tucking some of her loose curls behind her ear. "Sometime I forget how new you are to all this…"

"I have to admit I _was_ initially weirded out seeing the extra blood bags next to the frozen peas in the freezer," he looked at her pointedly and she huffed out an awkward laugh. "But yeah, Caroline, I know you drink blood to survive; it's okay." She heaved a sigh of relief and leaned in to give him a soft kiss.

"You're too good to me," she mumbled against his lips. "Now, let me just grab aforementioned blood bag for a quick drink before I freshen up and –"

"Why don't you drink from me?" Cory asked suddenly and Caroline blinked at him.

"What?"

"I'm human and you need blood. You can drink from me… that _is_ how it works, right?" Cory began to roll up his sleeve and Caroline stammered as she tried to make sense of what he was doing.

"Wha – Well, _yeah_ but –"

"Then drink from me."

"No!"

"Care, I just want to be able to help you." Caroline stared at her fiancé for a second before she spoke.

"Look, there are blood bags in the chiller so I'm just going to –" She began to get up but Cory stopped her, his bright eyes burning into hers.

"I'm sure nothing beats it coming straight from the source, right?" Caroline narrowed her eyes at him in suspicion.

"Why are you asking me to do this? What's going on?" She waited patiently for Cory's response and he slumped forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"I don't know, Caroline…" he started. "All this reading I've been doing lately is just getting to me I guess…" He shook his head. "All those stories are just filled with blood, murder, tragedy and we humans seem to be nothing more than collateral damage or victims in your world."

"Did you happen to skip the part about vampire hunters?" She asked, tilting her head towards him. "Ric is a great example. He's human but knows how to fight off creatures that go bump in the night."

"Sure but _real_ hunters are supernaturally blessed, like the members of the Five," he stated and Caroline rolled her eyes.

"What's your point?" Cory took a deep breath.

"My point is… the more I learn about this world," he said softly, "… the lesser I feel that I fit in."

"Wait, what?" Caroline's eyes went as wide. "No, no, those books were meant to educate you, not freak you out…"

"And now with you and me together…" Cory continued as if he hadn't heard her. "I was suddenly hit by this feeling that I've nothing to offer you. I mean, you're a vampire for God's sake –"

"Yes and I've _been_ a vampire this entire time we've been together. Nothing's changed!"

"Maybe not… maybe this is just some weird insecurity talking…" Cory ran his fingers through his hair and Caroline gently squeezed his shoulder. "Maybe the weight of all this is finally sinking in now…"

"Cory, I understand it can be overwhelming but –"

"I'm sorry," Cory said with a wry laugh. "I'm just over thinking it. All this just got me wondering about different daily-life scenarios, you know? I mean, what happens if one day I'm hurt," he started and to Caroline's horror he pulled a tiny scalpel out of his pocket and nicked his thumb.

Before she could even register what he had done, the scent of his blood hit her in full force. She could feel the veins around her eyes tingling and her fangs dropped. She managed to almost immediately return to her human face but didn't miss the flash of fear in Cory's eyes in that split second.

"Cory, what are you…" Caroline managed to choke those few words out before her hands snapped to cover her mouth.

Maybe Klaus was right. Maybe he was her new Matt Donovan and she was repeating the same cycle all over again.

Tears began to well up in her eyes as Cory looked at her with a straight face.

"This is what I was worried about," he said, tossing the scalpel aside and sucking his thumb before dabbing it with a handkerchief. "I think I just proved my point."

"No, Cory," a single tear streamed down Caroline's face and she took his hands in hers. "This is not how it normally is. I was just surprised and I hadn't fed in a while –"

"How many exceptional situations will we have to go through before either of us gets hurt?" Cory asked earnestly, his face making Caroline's chest clench.

"Cory…" Caroline swallowed as she willed herself to ask the question she'd been afraid to ask him ever since she told him she's a vampire. "Do you think I'm a monster?"

Cory simply shook his head.

"Caroline… I love you, I just… need to get used to this new normal," he assured her. "And it _will_ happen, okay?" He cupped her face and looked deep into her eyes as he spoke, like it was his way of proving it to her. Caroline couldn't help but believe him as she smiled through her tears.

"Okay."

Cory smiled back at her before awkwardly clearing his throat.

"In the spirit of honesty… I have to admit something," he started.

"What is it?" Caroline asked frowning and Cory gave a half-hearted laugh.

"I wasn't being entirely truthful the other day when I said I'll be okay with a small wedding." Caroline looked at him questioningly. "These things are a big deal… with me, my family…"

"I _knew_ you were just in denial."

"Fine, but –"

"And you're _literally_ watching a wedding rom-com right now…"

"Okay, that's just a really bad coincidence; it was playing on TV!"

Caroline sighed. "I still don't want to do anything big." Cory pursed his lips and nodded.

"Okay… so how do we do this? Can we at least agree on a date? Maybe September or –"

"September? That's so close!" Cory groaned at her response.

"Okay Caroline, why is it starting to feel like I'm the only one who wants to get married here?"

"Cory that's not fair, it's just everything is happening so fast…"

"Fast? We've been together almost a year!"

"Yeah but things change!" She blurted out suddenly and Cory raised his eyebrows.

"Things change? You said the exact opposite just a few minutes ago." He paused, watching Caroline carefully. "What exactly do you mean by that?"

"I…" Caroline started to explain. "There's just… so much on my mind with the girls and their curse…"

 _Don't think about Klaus_. _Don't think about Klaus_. _Don't think about Klaus_.

Cory was looking at Caroline with a strange expression on his face when he slowly asked her, "Did something happen in New Orleans?"

Caroline's eyes went wide in surprise.

"What?"

"Everything was fine until you decided to spend a week in that city," Cory remarked at a now silent Caroline. "Ever since you got back you've been… different."

"Cory, I told you there was some new information about the girls' curse that came to light and I'm just worried about that."

"You've always been worried about the girls. This feels like something else." Cory stared at Caroline for a long moment before he suddenly burst out laughing and shook his head. "It's _Klaus_ , isn't it?"

" _WHAT_?"

"It's simple; he's your ex and you spent the week in his city. And hold on, you…" he broke out into humorless laughter. "The morning I came to surprise you… you were coming back from _his_ place."

"Cory, I already told you he's NOT my ex and I was helping him with his transformations. NOTHING happened!"

"God, I can't believe I was so stupid…"

"CORY!" Caroline yelled and slammed her palm on the coffee table in front of them to get his attention. "I have worked _too_ hard to protect this relationship for you to just tear down the trust we've built with an accusation that isn't even true!"

"Trust?" Cory scoffed. "You hid the fact that you're a vampire from me for MONTHS."

"Because I was worried _this_ would happen!"

"Well, maybe these things shouldn't BE this hard!" Cory exclaimed and he must have noticed the hurt look on her face because he immediately shook his head apologetically at her.

"I'm sorry, Caroline, I… I think we've both been real stressed out lately and it's just coming together all at once…" He pinched the bridge of his nose and Caroline just continued to watch him. "I think we just need to take a breather," he said slowly. "I've still got my place so I'll spend the night there so we both can cool down and have this conversation properly with a clear mind tomorrow, okay?"

Caroline simply nodded, staring unseeing as Cory got off the couch to gather some things before he went out the door. It was the sound of his car driving away that snapped her out of her daze and she exhaled sharply.

 _What the hell just happened_?

Shaking her head in disbelief at the completely unexpected turn of events, she got up off the couch and walked to kitchen to help herself to the blood bag in the fridge, unable to help the dry laugh that escaped her lips at the thought that this was the very thing that set off the sequence of chaotic events just a while ago.

Caroline ended up having the evening that she had thought she wanted – on the couch with a bottle of wine and a packet of chips watching mindless TV after a very relaxing hot shower.

But now with Cory actually out of the house, it felt strange. Nevertheless, before long she was in bed, tucked under the covers and staring at the ceiling above her, her thoughts far away.

She rolled over to the side restlessly and her eyes fell on her bed-side table. Before she could stop herself, she reached out almost on impulse and pulled open the drawer, taking out the old phone that had made its way back there even after she'd put it away once Cory moved in.

She let out a deep breath and flipped it open to play the only file that remained on it, cupping the phone close to her ear.

 _Caroline… I'm standing in one my favorite places in the world_ …

On hearing his voice she instantly jerked the phone away from her ear, hit by a pang of guilt. She pressed the device against her chest, lying on her back again as she sunk into her pillow. Her eyes squeezed shut and a stray tear slipped out as she felt the feather-light thrumming of his earnest words against her rib cage from the recording that continued to play on the phone. Her heightened hearing allowed her to still hear his words as clear as day and they now seemed to blend in with the beating of her heart.

 _All I can think about is how much I want to show it to you_ …

She flipped the phone shut and tossed it back into the drawer, hastily sliding it shut and readjusting her sheets to cocoon herself in it.

As she lay there sticking to the left side of the bed – one she had always maintained as _her_ side – it amazed her how she could so prominently feel Cory's absence next to her right now. The more she thought about him and their conversation – one that was necessary but had escalated too quickly – she felt her face warm up and her vision got blurry as they began to fill with tears.

She hated that she and Cory had gotten into a fight.

She hated that she couldn't hug him and they couldn't fall asleep together at the end of a tiring day like today.

She hated that her petty action of listening to Klaus' voicemail again actually gave her the comfort that she needed.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She told herself that she just needed to relax and Cory just needed some more time to let the fact that she's a vampire sink in; it was only understandable. She knew that he loves her and she was convinced they would power their way through this hurdle.

With another loose promise to herself to delete that voicemail, she drifted off into a thankfully dreamless sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know why but I liked the really simple KC moment at the beginning of the chapter. And I hope the last scene gave you some KC nostalgia like it did me. Poor Caroline, maybe she'll finally break out of her denial. MAYBE. In the meantime, I want to thank everyone for being patient - I know the angst is murderous but you guys are great for sticking around and letting the story flow organically. YOU are appreciated!
> 
> I had a bit of a mentally stressful week so I'm not going to blab much here; I just hope you guys enjoyed this one. Let me know if you did :)
> 
> \--  
> MUSIC PROMPTS:
> 
> What the hell just happened?  
> 'A Thousand Times Good Night' - Abel Korzeniowski  
> \--  
> 'Too Late For Lullabies' - James Morrison


	28. Art, Culture

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day of Klaus' Art Exhibit is finally here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, real talk: we’re in the last quarter of the story and I feel like it’s a good time to inform you – this may be the last, if not only, KC FANFIC that I’ll ever write. At least this is how I feel now; I can’t say how I’m going to feel after finishing it. [Yeah ok, this might also be my only shot at a KC Award. Oh well.] My POINT is, any literary experiments I plan to do will be with this story :D
> 
> This week I wanted to try writing a crossover (okay, maybe adaptation is a better term) with another ship/fandom I used to like. It’s just for fun; those of you who know it might experience déjà vu somewhere in the second half. You can guess which one, but I’m not giving it away till the notes at the end so you can read the chapter somewhat spoiler-free-ish.
> 
> Rated M for graphic content because I feel like I didn’t give enough of a warning the last time a few heads went rolling lol.
> 
> This week’s episode is a big one; it is the first COMPLETELY Klaus-centric chapter and I’m really proud of it, so I hope you like it too.
> 
> Welcome… to the Art Exhibit!

"At least wear a tie with that, Nik."

"You're lucky I'm even going."

Klaus could practically hear his sister rolling her eyes at him as he glanced at the mirror and adjusted the lapels of his dark suit jacket. He had left the top buttons of his deep mauve dress shirt open, revealing the chunk of necklaces that were a constant around his neck; he suspected this was probably what provoked Rebekah's peeved remark. He was never one to miss a chance to dress his best but when it came to his art, he preferred to keep things closer to what he was comfortable with.

He shifted his eyes to Rebekah's reflection behind him and could see the exasperated look on her face. He turned around to see his baby sister standing at his door impeccable dressed in a classy golden gown that she carried with poise.

If there was one thing Rebekah did well it was dress for the occasion; that and it would appear, put together an Art fundraiser in such a short time. The last week alone seemed to go by so fast with her running about and getting things done. She had kept her end of the deal and not bothered him with anything and Klaus couldn't help but feel a sense of pride for her.

"You look beautiful, Rebekah." She looked taken aback for a moment and opened her mouth to speak but cleared her throat instead.

"Thank you, Nik, but DON'T change the subject!"

"I'm not wearing a tie. End of discussion."

"Ready to go, Dad?" Hope came into the room, walking past Rebekah to stand next to him at the mirror looking elegant in her plum dress.

"Apparently, he is," Rebekah grumbled and turned to leave. "I need to go ahead; I better see you both there soon!" The clicking of her heels faded away and Klaus turned to look at his daughter.

"That's a nice dress," he complimented with a gentle smile. Hope rolled her eyes.

"Of course you'd think so; you picked it!"

"Well, my daughter deserves the best." Hope looked at him pointedly.

"Is that why you booked me a first class ticket to fly in this weekend instead of my usual ride?" She peered at him thoughtfully. "Why is it that vampires like to drive everywhere anyway?"

"An immortal's perception of time is slightly different, love," he explained. "I suppose we feel like we have so much of it we don't think twice about spending it."

"Whatever it is, this was definitely faster, which is convenient since I have to return later tonight," Hope tilted her head at Klaus. "I'm sorry I could only drop in for the show. There's just so much to do at school right now –"

"I understand, Hope. I'm simply glad you could be here now." Hope smiled at him with a glint in her eyes.

"That reminds me, guess who _else_ was at the airport and decided to come to town for this big event?" Klaus' eyebrows furrowed in thought and a head of silky blonde hair crossed his mind before he heard a familiar voice float across the room from his door.

"Brother!" Kol walked in wearing a tux, his arms outstretched as he walked towards him only to put his arms around Hope instead. "Hope darling, it was supposed to be a surprise. You know how I can't get enough of the look of exasperated frustration whenever my brother sees me."

"Kol." Klaus' voice grated out but he was surprisingly not as annoyed as he thought. "What are you doing here?"

"The thing is Nik, I heard a rumor, "he started, clasping his hands behind his back and walking towards him. "Word is that you have gone from Niklaus the Great Evil to Niklaus the Humanitarian."

"Well, not all of us are stuck in their immature form, Kol," Klaus smirked at his brother. "Some of us grow up."

"I just didn't want to deprive myself of the chance to witness it for myself," he said with a cheeky grin that earned an annoyed growl out of Klaus.

"Let's just head to the gallery, shall we?" Hope suggested before the tension between the brothers could escalate further.

About half an hour later all of the Mikaelsons were in the beautiful space that Rebekah had rented out – or compelled out of someone, Klaus could never be sure how far she had taken Freya's no-compulsion rule – and he walked by a particularly interesting wall of his work with Hope by his side.

"You left the dates on," Hope observed, pointing at some of the older ones that were marked in slightly different looking numerals. "Only on a few of them, though."

"Now and then I liked to mark the passage of time in my work," Klaus shrugged as they continued to walk through the now expanding crowd of well-dressed people.

"But you didn't think about signing them?" Hope looked up at her father and he threw her a sideways smile.

"Painting is something I've always done for myself," Klaus explained. "I suppose I never saw the point in leaving my name on something I would always know is mine."

"Huh." Hope nodded and they turned a corner into the next section. The entrance to the gallery was visible from there and Klaus' gaze unconsciously drifted towards it.

It was not the first time it happened that evening.

"Waiting for a certain someone, Nik?" Kol's face came out of nowhere and stepped into his space, making Klaus shove him away.

"Bugger off, Kol," Klaus rolled his eyes and proceeded to walk further with Hope but his brother scurried over to keep up with them.

"I say Nik, who is the woman in _this_ painting?" He pointed innocently at one of Klaus' more abstract pieces where one wouldn't even have noticed the woman unless they knew to look for it.

 _That weasel_. _He knew Caroline had been the inspiration for that one_.

"Oh yeah, I didn't even see her there. Now _I'm_ interested," Hope chipped in. Klaus' scoffed at his brother and daughter teaming up against him. He was just about to tell them off when Freya joined them, followed by Keelin.

"The fundraiser's going well," Freya beamed at him, her palms resting over her eight-month baby bump. "Looks like people are really into your art, brother."

"Who _are_ these people anyway?" Keelin asked, looking around curiously.

"People too fancy for any of you lot to be friends with," Rebekah chirped, coming to join them along with Marcel, around whom she had her arm wrapped snugly. "Thanks for being here, babe," she said to him with a genuine smile.

"I wouldn't miss it," Marcel smiled back at his partner and looked around. "I actually recognize some of these, Klaus."

"Ah yes, I did do quite a lot of painting during the time period we were bringing you up." Kol groaned.

"Time period? Why do you make it sound like we lived in the Jurassic era, Nik? Way to make a man feel old."

"You're not a man, you're a child," Klaus growled back.

"Can you two just drop it and try to be _normal_ for once while these people are here?" Rebekah chided her brothers.

"When has it _ever_ been normal with the Mikaelsons?" Hope muttered, earning a High-five from Kol. Rebekah then turned to Klaus.

"Nik, at least TRY to mingle," she implored her brother. "We are trying to raise money after all."

"I'm too busy showing my daughter around –"

"Allow me to do it on your behalf then, Niklaus," Kol interrupted him and put an arm around Hope's shoulder. "I'm sure my stories will be just as entertaining as yours, if not WAY better," Klaus rolled his eyes and turned to look pointedly at Freya.

"Would you please keep an eye on them so that Kol doesn't fill my daughter's head with complete and utter nonsense, Sister?"

"I'll do my best, but no guarantees," Freya shook her head and they walked in another direction together leaving Klaus behind to move about on his own.

Klaus spoke to a couple of the donors that Rebekah had pointed him towards and then continued on his own. He explored the rest of the space and the more he did, the more he realized how much of painting he had actually done over his unnaturally long life. He did curate the ones to be put up for Rebekah but seeing it on display was a whole other perspective.

He walked up to one of the pieces he had done while in Mystic Falls. Based on an abstract view of the woods from his mansion, the play of the greens in contrast against the textured bark of the trees had caught his eye that day and spurred him on into bringing it alive on canvas.

Of course, now the woods had other more pleasant memories associated with it…

His eyes once again shifted to the entrance and he sighed.

He wasn't sure what he was expecting would happen; Caroline was completely beyond his reach now, what with her being engaged to that human. But that shouldn't have stopped her from accepting his invite to the exhibit that he had extended to her last week. He knew very well that there was a good chance she may not show up; in fact with recent developments, he was sure her plan was to avoid him for the near future unless completely necessary or in a professional capacity with relation to Hope.

And yet as he stood there amidst his art he felt a yearning to show her around, watch her face light up as he told her the stories behind them – or darken, depending on the story – wanting to tell her more about his adventures in the world out there… maybe even share his hopes of someday creating new ones with her.

He remembered the first time he had showed her his art. She was stunning in blue, wearing the dress and bracelet that he had given her and he had brought her into his studio. He was surprised at the slight hint of nervousness he had felt at the time; there was something about her that made him want to see her happy.

He was clueless at the time about how another person's happiness would even matter to him... all he wanted to do was share his passion…with her. Even when she harshly threw honesty in his face like few others dared to, his instinctive impulse to respond with anger was muted when instead he found himself coveting the fierce loyalty she continued to show towards her friends, Tyler especially.

As he stood there before the painting that had taken him along memory lane, his thoughts were so far away he hadn't realized someone had come up next to him.

"Not bad," a familiar Irish accent rang out. "You actually came through." Klaus scoffed, not shifting his unseeing gaze off his painting towards Declan and he continued. "Thank you, I guess. Who knew you had so many friends."

"They're not my friends."

Declan clicked his tongue. "Too bad. That why Caroline isn't here?"

That got Klaus' attention. He clenched his jaw, slowly turning to face the human.

"What is it with you and Caroline, hmm?" Klaus almost sneered at Declan. "How is it that you even know her?"

"Whoa, calm down," Declan raised his hands in surrender at the glowering look Klaus was giving him. "I only asked because she is quite literally the only person I know to be an actual friend of yours." Klaus rolled his eyes and Declan simply shrugged. "And it doesn't hurt that she's fun to be around. There's just somethin' about her –"

"I hope you realize she's spoken for." For reasons he couldn't explain, telling Declan he couldn't have Caroline felt oddly good. Before the human could come back with a response, Klaus narrowed his eyes at him. "Enjoy your donation," he said, flashing him a humorless smile and moving on to look for Hope and the others.

A little over an hour later, the last of the visitors were beginning to file out and Hope was saying goodbye to Klaus.

"We'll spend all of next weekend together Dad, I promise. Again, I'm _really_ sorry I have to leave so soon…"

"I already told you, Hope, it's perfectly alright. I can still drop you to the airport…"

"Dad, this is your exhibit. I can't have you missing anything on account of me. You'll make up for it next weekend though, right?" Klaus laughed as he watched his daughter get into Marcel's car. She waved at him as the car drove away and Klaus smiled, walking back into the gallery with a sigh.

Barely a handful of people remained that were browsing through his work but they looked like tourists who were simply passing through. Rebekah came from across the gallery to join him and they looked on at the display.

"Thank you, Rebekah," Klaus said genuinely. "This is perhaps the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me."

"Oh, so my attempt to kill Mikael in his sleep for hurting you doesn't count?" She tilted her head at him. "We raised enough money so I guess we're good with the Humans… for now."

"Alright."

"I'm just waiting for these non-buyers to get out of here so I can close up and go home to have a nice, hot soak in my tub."

"Dear sister, I'm impressed. I didn't think you were capable of waiting for anything." Rebekah stuck her tongue out at her brother, making him chuckle at her childish response.

"Klaus?"

Both Klaus and Rebekah spun around to see a very weary looking Caroline standing at the door, dressed simply in jeans and a loose white tee.

"Caroline?" Klaus had long since accepted that she wasn't going to be showing up tonight; to see her standing here now and say her appearance was unexpected would be a gross understatement.

Her chin-length blonde curls were all over the place and Klaus had to fight to resist the urge to reach out and tuck the stray strands behind her ear. Her face was devoid of any makeup and her puffy eyes darted to Rebekah before resting on him.

"What did I miss?" She asked softly, her lips slowly breaking into a small smile that Klaus found himself responding to. Rebekah groaned and rolled her eyes, turning to her brother.

"Alright Nik, these are all yours," she said, pushing a set of keys into his palm. "If you're planning on giving Caroline here a private tour, please do it on your own time because it's Rebekah time now." She spun around, threw a glance at Caroline before proceeding to leave. "Don't forget to lock up when you're done!" she yelled on her way out and then she was gone, leaving the two of them alone in the gallery with the last of the tourists having just left as well.

For a moment they simply stared at each other until Caroline finally looked away and cleared her throat.

"Sorry, I'm late," she said, fidgeting with the ends of the purse she was carrying.

"I didn't think you were coming," Klaus admitted and Caroline laughed softly.

"Trust me when I say I didn't either," she shrugged, gesturing at herself. "I'm not exactly dressed for the occasion…"

"Well, you're always beautiful to me," Klaus said easily and she scoffed.

"I don't know about that…" she muttered and he saw her eyes graze over his outfit. "You look nice though."

Klaus gave her a smile and she returned it but he could see it didn't quite reach her eyes. But before he could ask her about it she spoke up.

"So am I getting this private tour or not?" She tilted her head at him and Klaus extended his arm, directing her towards the first wall of paintings that had been displayed.

"Ladies, first," he said guiding her ahead and to his surprise, Caroline looped her arm around his free one and looked straight at him.

"I'd rather walk next to you," she said like it was the most obvious thing in the world and Klaus' lips parted slightly, slowly getting replaced by a wide grin. He could feel a glimmer of affection flicker in his chest, one that he couldn't be sure was from her words or from her close proximity to him.

Nevertheless, he was just happy to show her around as he had been wishing to.

"Right this way then, love."

They had barely finished the first section of the gallery when Klaus was convinced that something was wrong. He could tell from the way she clung onto him as he narrated his stories that this wasn't a simple case of exhaustion from overworking. She was in a weakened state; even his wolf senses were picking up on it.

"Caroline?"

"Mmm?"

"Are you alright, love?"

"Yeah, why –"

"When did you last feed?"

Caroline was silent for a few moments before answering. "I'm fine, it doesn't matter."

"You know you've been saying that a _lot_ lately…"

"Because it's true!" She exclaimed and rubbed her face with her palms. "I've just had a stressful week with a _lot_ of work to do…"

"You do realize from the number of times you've been used as a distraction while your little friends went about their activities against me, I've come to recognize when you're lying and when you say the truth." Caroline groaned and shook her head.

"Klaus," she started, her sad blue eyes locked onto his. "You just sold your paintings to raise money for humans in the city, something I could NEVER have pictured you doing." She sighed. "And as tired as I am, I had to come because I needed you to know… I'm _so_ proud of you." Klaus swallowed, unable to tear his gaze away from her baby blue orbs.

He was… touched.

Caroline was proud of him and he couldn't be happier. His face slowly broke into a dimpled smile.

"I suppose it's not too bad for the 'Great Evil' Klaus Mikaelson, is it? But you still haven't answered my question, love," he commented and his smile slowly turned into a frown at the way Caroline's eyes begin to tear up. She promptly looked away and shrugged at him.

"Can we just agree to 'keep all questions for the end of the tour'? God knows, I need to think of something else right now." She ran a hand through her hair and Klaus watched her carefully.

As much as he wanted to continue the conversation, he could tell she was hurting about something. He decided to honor her wish and put his thoughts aside… for now.

"Alright, love. How about I show you around and make it my mission to take your mind off things?" Klaus tilted his head at her and her lips finally parted into a small smile.

"Sounds good."

Halfway into the next section of the gallery however, he could tell she was still distracted. Sometimes she stared at the art and Klaus couldn't be sure if she was seeing them. He found he couldn't bear to see her upset anymore and stopped.

"That's it, Caroline. I'm taking you home."

"Wh-what?"

"If you think I'm going to let you go on like this, you'd be mistaken," he said firmly and took her arm. He guided her out of the gallery and she didn't even fight him. He locked up and they got into his car.

Few minutes later, Caroline was seated at the table in the Abattoir atrium, downing her second bag of blood hungrily as Klaus returned with another two. She put her empty bag down and shook her head.

"I'm good," she said, waving him off and Klaus was glad to at least see some life return to her face. "I didn't even think the Mikaelsons believed in blood bags," she muttered. Klaus chose to ignore her comment completely and loomed over her.

"Caroline, I don't know what possessed you to put your health in jeopardy by forgoing blood…"

"Klaus, I told you I was just feeling down and exhausted with everything –"

"Really, Caroline? Here I thought you just didn't like my art," he retorted in all seriousness and to his mild amusement, Caroline huffed out a laugh. However, much to Klaus' chagrin, her smile almost immediately faded from her face.

"I don't know what to tell you, Klaus. Sometimes I just feel so overwhelmed like nothing I do matters and it just gets so hard sometimes," she confessed, her palms covering her face. Klaus slowly touched her shoulder and her head snapped to the side to look up at him.

"Caroline, if it's alright with you… I'd like to show you something." She blinked at him before agreeing.

"Okay."

Klaus led her upstairs to his studio. She walked in hesitantly, looking warily at his art supplies and other raw materials that lay about.

"It's funny how I've been in your room so many times recently but never once came in here. I didn't realize this was right next door."

"This is my private space," he explained taking off his suit jacket and draping it over a chair. "But I thought you should see this."

He guided her towards a corner in the room where there was an easel stand with a sheet covering it. As soon as she was in front of it, Klaus pulled aside the cloth to reveal a painting he had worked on a while back. Caroline's eyes went wide as she took it in and Klaus began to explain it to her.

"This, love, is an abstract piece that I did a couple of months ago," he started. "I was only just rekindling my passion for art and I was on the lookout for inspiration." He ran his fingers over some of the swirling strokes. "The white and gold theme struck me because… I was thinking of you." Caroline's gaze shifted from the canvas to his earnest face. "You're my muse, Caroline." She exhaled and turned back to the painting, walking closer to it.

"So you're saying this… was inspired by me?" Her slender fingers were now tracing the very strokes that Klaus had created with his brush. She turned around to face him and he smirked at her.

"I'm saying…" he clarified, looked at her pointedly. "The next time you think you don't matter, just bear in mind this picture and know that you do."

Caroline gasped lightly at his words. Klaus was about to continue but before he could, she had flung herself at him with a bone-crushing hug and burst into tears.

He was taken aback but it was only a split second before he melded into her embrace. He then held onto her tight, wishing he could absorb whatever pain and sadness she seemed to be carrying within her to relieve her of some of it. He could feel her body warm up and her tears damp on his shoulder. When the sounds of her sniffles reduced slightly, she broke away from his hold and ever so slightly pulled back till they stood still with just their foreheads touching.

Klaus faltered as Caroline slowly lifted her face to look up at him. He could see her eyes were still brimming with tears and was suddenly intensely aware that their lips were mere inches away from each other.

His mind began to wander, imagining in various ways how one single movement could give him the opportunity to quench his enduring thirst for her. Caroline's lips were slightly parted at his lingering gaze and he tried to recollect what she tasted like from their last encounter as something to hold on to while he held back in the present.

It was when a wisp of Caroline's sigh prickled his chin that he snapped out of his trance.

"You should go." Klaus' eyes squeezed shut and his voice rasped out, barely a whisper that ghosted over Caroline's lips. He heard her gasp softly.

"What?"

"You should go back to Cory," Klaus clarified, the words rushing out and burning like venom in his mouth. He took a step back from her; not being able to touch her was starting to physically hurt and he needed to move away.

"Cory is…" Caroline started, sniffling.

"Caroline," Klaus raised his hand and stopped her, shaking his head. "This has gone on long enough. As much as it kills me to see you with someone else, you made your choice and I WILL respect that. I made a promise not to stand in the way of your happiness but being so close to you, I..." He exhaled sharply and looked straight at her. "I may be known as the Great Evil but home wrecker is not a title that I –"

"I ended it."

Klaus froze.

"What?"

"I'm stuck Klaus," Caroline admitted sadly, crossing her arms and hugging herself. "I keep wanting to move forward. I keep wanting to move on. And now with my whole new life, my house, new fiancé… and all I can think about is _you_."

She looked at him ruefully as she spoke and Klaus' mouth opened and shut slowly as he fully took in the weight of her words. She let out a heavy sigh.

"I just need to know… if you and I can work." Her words were now a low whisper. "I don't want to end up losing my chance again before I can find out. I just… I can't."

Klaus' eyebrows furrowed as she spoke. His lips parted hesitantly with the intention of voicing what he wanted to say to her but his uncertainty held him back. Caroline simply stared at him with a sad smile.

"I love you," she admitted, looking straight at him before her gaze drifted towards the ceiling to blink away tears that were threatening to fall. "God, things would be _so_ much easier if I didn't… but I can't help it." Her eyes glistened as she huffed out a laugh.

Klaus was stunned. Caroline, his sweet Caroline, was finally here of her own volition, standing before him and pouring her heart out to him, saying all the words he had been wanting to hear from her for so long.

And yet, everything he wanted to say, everything he wanted her to know… all of it seemed to be currently jammed in his throat, choking him.

He was speechless.

Caroline continued to watch him expectantly. Seeing him at a loss for words, she began to anxiously shift in her place.

"Klaus… please say something," she urged, a small hint of panic in her voice. "Look, I understand if you're over me and don't love me anymore. It's fine, just–"

"Caroline, I NEVER STOPPED!" Klaus raised his voice suddenly and her eyes went wide, stopping the beginning of her rant in its tracks.

"What?" she spluttered out as he came closer and gently gripped her shoulder.

"I… never… stopped," he breathed, tears blurring his vision as his fingers trailed down the length of her arm and he took her hand in his. He wrapped his palm around her shaky one and held it close to his chest; his eyes never leaving hers as a tear finally broke free and fell down his cheek. Caroline simply looked at him and breathed out a soft laugh, her face shining with tears now.

Klaus slowly lifted her hand and brought it to his lips. His breath lightly danced over her knuckles before he gently kissed the back of her palm and his eyes slid shut as he absorbed the moment for all that it meant to him. When he opened them he could see Caroline watching him, her lips slightly parted in the anticipation he could discern from the erratic racing of her undead heart.

He took another measured step closer till he was standing right before her, the focus light in the studio casting his shadow over her. He captured her bright blue eyes in his and without averting his gaze off her, he finally leaned in. His eager lips were dangerously close and hovered slightly above hers as he waited intently for her to respond, wanting to offer her an out if she needed one.

To his utter relief and joy, she closed the distance between them and a smile tugged at the end of his lips when she only lightly nipped at his mouth. He took that opportunity to slowly brush his lips over hers and she played along as they teased each other like time had come to a standstill and they didn't have a care in the world. Klaus could feel the pleasurable torment building up within him and he finally broke the ice, laying a feather-light kiss on her lips just as he felt her intertwine her fingers in his other hand.

Her touch felt like a gently burning fire and he found himself wanting to be ablaze in it. He could have sworn there was warmth that seemed to radiate from their mingled hands and he wondered for a moment if he was imagining things. So caught up was he in her essence that he only then realized she'd used their linked hands to guide him into the adjoining room.

For what felt like an eternity to Klaus, the two of them stood in front of his bed, neither one saying a word as they continued to take each other in. The room was brimming with a tension so thick that Klaus was sure his claws could rip right through it. The wolf within him seemed to be intensely aware of the charged atmosphere and it was taking all his strength to restrain himself from just slamming her against the wall and ravishing her.

But this time he knew he didn't have to; there was no need to hurry. No promise to be held to in exchange for never returning. No deadline so she could return to her friends before they came looking for her. No anxiety over her constantly covering up their connection with guilt.

Now, they were both free.

Klaus placed a gentle hand over Caroline's arm, his hand running over the sleeve of her loose tee and then tracing the softness of her skin as his artistic fingers followed a path from her shoulder to her elbow. She smiled and brought her hands up to his neck, tugging at his chains so he would come closer, an act that drew a soft growl of pleasure out him. Not taking her eyes off his, she began to unbutton his shirt and her otherwise nimble fingers moved at a teasing pace that made him feel like his undead heart would explode out of his chest. She slid the now wide open collar over his shoulders and let the silk fabric crumple to the ground.

For a brief moment she continued to look at him, and he heard her breathing quicken when her open palm slid over the tattoo across his chest. As innocent as her action was, her touch was leaving a trail of prickly sensations on his skin and Klaus swallowed hard.

He was over a thousand years old and here he was falling apart over the simple gestures of a young vampire. It never ceased to amaze him how Caroline managed to be an exception to so many of his rules.

Bringing her eyes up back to his, she took a small step back and pulled her loose white tee over her head, tossing it to the side with a small smile on her face. He could tell she had dressed for comfort based on the simple blue sports bra she was wearing but he honestly didn't care; Caroline would look delicious to him in a pillowcase. She let out a timid laugh and looked at him almost apologetically, as if suddenly becoming conscious of her current choice of innerwear.

"Klaus, I didn't really plan…" she started and before she could get swept up in the insecurity he saw was seeping into her eyes, he captured her lips in a searing kiss, this one more reassured than the last. Everything he had been containing until now poured into that kiss and his hands came to rest possessively on her sides. He reveled in the feeling of her soft, delicious lips against his and his fingers slowly trailed up her body and found their way into her short, blonde waves. He gripped her hair, drawing out moans of appreciation from her that simply made the experience so much better.

There was a point when his humanity-bred insecurity and disbelief crept in but the way she smiled and softly bit his lower lip to hold him in place confirmed to him that she wanted this as much as he did, obliterating any doubt he may have had.

Caroline's hands had been resting flat on his chest all this while and he felt them slowly begin to drift down as their kisses grew more insistent. Klaus was so lost in the taste of her that it was the sound from the clinking of his belt that brought back to reality as Caroline deftly began to loosen it around his waist. Klaus smirked into their kiss at her eagerness and took a moment to break away so he could admire her flushed cheeks and swollen lips.

She smiled at him and promptly pulled down his pants to his ankles. He easily kicked them off along with his shoes as she proceeded to do the same herself. Before she could get to her own pants however, Klaus grabbed her by the waist and pulled her closer, not wanting to keep any more distance between them.

His lips eagerly latched onto hers and his tongue dragged along her lower lip, teasing for entry into her mouth which she granted. As the kiss intensified, Klaus felt her hands now go over and around his shoulders. Her soft fingers played with the curls at the nape of his neck, and a low excited growl erupted from deep within his throat. He could tell Caroline enjoyed the vibrations that came from the sound that escaped him by the way he felt her lips curve into a smile.

His hands went further down her sides along her thighs and in one swift moment he lifted her up, eliciting a gasp out of her before she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist. He walked towards the bed, carrying her with ease, her slender body barely a challenge to his Hybrid strength. She held on to his shoulders and began to kiss along his jaw to just under his neck, paying special attention to the two identical beauty spots he had there.

Klaus gently sat down on the edge of the bed and Caroline momentarily pulled back from her sinful assault on his throat, giving him a chance to admire her visage.

Her short hair was delightfully tousled from him having his way with it and her lips were now a deeper shade of pink than what he was used to hankering for. He could see the lust in her eyes and he was sure it was evident in his from the way she was looking back at him.

His hands, now free from having to carry her, began to slide along the sides of her jean clad thighs. He now wished he had ripped those pants off already so he could feel more of her and continued to stroke her curves. She gave him a teasing smile before reaching behind her back to unhook her bra and with one dexterous flick of her fingers it was off to join the rest of their discarded items of clothing on the floor. She smiled, biting her lower lip and Klaus let out a gruff breath as he drank the sight of her in. He put his hands around her waist and pulled her close, crashing their lips together again.

Caroline whimpered lightly as their tongues danced in harmony and Klaus idly wondered how that single sound was capable of making the head of a thousand year old creature spin like this. It was intoxicating and he wanted more of it. He could already feel himself tighten as her naked chest pressed against his own, her sensitive tips already pebbled from the friction against his skin.

His fingers splayed out against the creamy skin of her back, wanting to feel as much of her as he could. Gripping her tight he swiftly flashed them sideways on to the bed and Caroline let out a tiny yelp of surprise as her head was plopped down snugly onto his soft pillow.

Klaus was now hovering over Caroline's already flushed face with his elbows propping himself up. He gazed down at her, admiring the tiny freckles sprinkled across her cheeks; something he had only been able to appreciate from afar until now. Her short golden strands were spread out in delightful disarray and made his eyes darken. Caroline's breath was coming out in short pants now as her blue eyes burned into his, filled with anticipation for what's to come. He smiled at her earnestly, his dimples cutting deep into his cheeks as he did so.

"You're beautiful, Caroline," was all he said before crushing his lips on hers, swallowing whatever response she may have had to his statement. Before he got completely lost in her kiss again, Klaus shifted from her swollen mouth and she let out a breathy moan as he continued to trail his kisses across her jaw line. Klaus could taste the remnants of the salt from her tears that she had shed earlier as he did so and silently swore to himself that he would strive hard to ensure he would never be the reason for them in the future.

He heard her whisper his name as he continued on his path of kisses down the column of her slender throat. He could feel the thrumming of borrowed blood along her pulse point and was amazed at how much it set his senses on fire. Pushing away the urge to let his Hybrid fangs drop for a taste of her sweet blood, he settled on nipping the sensitive skin on her neck with his human teeth, prompting another delicious sound of approval from her lips.

Klaus exhaled sharply and was gradually coming to realize that the sound of her pleasure was addictive. He yearned for more and wasn't disappointed when she continued to make her appreciation heard as he explored every part of her before him, from her supple breasts down to her navel. When he finally got to her belt-buckled jeans, he glanced up at Caroline who was looking frazzled from all his teasing.

"You're wearing too many clothes, love" he stated simply with a smirk as he patiently began to undo her belt.

"You're the one who pounced on me before I could take off more than my shoes," she retorted breathlessly with lidded eyes as she watched him easily pop her top button off and unzip her pants.

"It was worth it," he assured her in a raspy voice as he dug his hands into her sides. He hooked his fingers around the hemline of her jeans along with her panties, which he now saw were blue to match the bra she had been sporting earlier. His cobalt eyes, now completely darkened with lust, shot up to see Caroline propped up on her elbows and watching him carefully.

Her lips were parted and her breasts gently rose and fell in rhythm with her harsh breathing as she keenly waited for him to make his next move. He captured her eager gaze and held it as he slowly began to tug the offending garments off her. He was pleased to see his fingertips leave a trace of goose bumps along her creamy skin as he dragged her remaining items of clothing along her hips and down to her ankles at an agonizingly measured pace that was aimed at driving Caroline to the edge.

And if her erratic breathing along with her exposed body setting off his Hybrid senses with the delectable scent of her arousal was any indication, he was succeeding.

Caroline kicked the bunched clothes off her feet while Klaus finally freed himself of his boxers and crept back up along her body like the predator he was, making sure he made stops along the way to worship her body like she deserved. Upon finally coming up to her beautiful face he leaned down to kiss her again, when she suddenly stilled and brought her hand up to cup his face.

Klaus paused in response to her tender action, choking out a gasp as her soft fingers ran through his stubble, igniting an oddly pleasant feeling in a part of his chest that he had thought didn't function anymore. At that moment he felt his inner wolf growl and he was sure his eyes were glowing yellow from the way Caroline's eyes widened in surprise.

In a fleeting moment of doubt he wondered if she would be frightened by his Hybrid side, one that came with aspects that could be fatal to her.

And then she smiled and that was all Klaus needed.

He bent down and kissed her fiercely, pressing his body against hers as much as he could without crushing her, relishing in the sensation of their bodies touching, skin against skin with nothing in between. He knew she could feel him against her thigh and he continued to kiss her senseless as he slowly directed one of his hands along her side and moved to hook her leg behind his back as he got into position.

He broke away from their frenzied kiss to look at her once more before he went any further and Caroline's eyes were twinkling with ecstasy as she gave him a light nod and he entered her.

Caroline gasped and Klaus couldn't control the hiss that escaped his lips from the feeling of her enclosing him within her slick heat. She felt bloody fantastic, just as stunning as he remembered from their time so long ago, only way better.

"Fuck, Caroline," he croaked as he pulled out slightly before sheathing himself within her again and causing her lithe body to arch against him, extracting another growl out of him. He rested his forehead against hers as he began to build a steady rhythm for both their bodies to move to and Caroline's other leg slowly came up to join the one that was already perched on his lower back, locking him against her with her ankles almost possessively.

Klaus continued to kiss her as he maintained the momentum, speeding up when he felt Caroline's walls tighten and when her moans began to grow more urgent against his mouth. She huffed out his name on his lips as their bodies continued to slide against each other and Klaus could tell from her shaky breath that she was on the verge.

Her hands were wrapped around his shoulders and when her fingers tightened their grip on the hair at the base of his neck, Klaus nearly lost his mind. He immediately pulled her close, picking up the pace and holding on for as long as he could till he finally heard her scream as she hit her peak, her voice giving him the push he needed to reach his own. With a roaring grunt, he savored his release before he continued to thrust slowly in order to draw out her pleasure a little longer. She was making all the right sounds that he was eager to hear but when she finally let out one final sigh of relief he halted and slowly rolled off her to the side.

Before they had a chance to catch their breath, Klaus snaked his arm under Caroline's shoulders and pulled her close, his abrupt and determined action making her laugh lightly. She rested her chin on his chest to look up at him and Klaus could see her skin was glowing. He reached out to brush some of the stray strands of her hair that clung to her dewy skin and was slightly taken aback when Caroline leaned into his touch as he did so. She then gave him the most beautiful smile that rekindled that warmth in his chest again.

The moment was so perfect, the cynic in him couldn't help but consider the possibility that perhaps he had indeed died the first time around and that maybe this was all a dream.

Maybe this was the universe's way of mocking him and torturing him for all the bad things he had done in his life because he definitely hadn't done anything to deserve this.

A frown must have appeared on his face because he felt Caroline's hand on his cheek as her anxious eyes caught his.

"What's wrong?" she asked, her fingers bristling through his stubble, something he was coming to find he enjoyed very much. His face broke into a smile so wide he was sure his dimples were cutting into his cheek as he responded with a renewed certainty.

"Absolutely nothing."

Seemingly satisfied with his answer, Caroline laughed brightly and turned to her side to snuggle up next to him. Klaus pulled up a sheet over them and they lay content in each others' arms till sleep eventually found them.

* * *

The first thing Caroline registered as she began to wake up was the feeling that she was being watched. Her eyelids fluttered open to see Klaus' handsome smiling face in the light of the sunshine that was now streaming in through the window of his bedroom. She shut her eyes again with a relaxed sigh.

"Weren't you the one who said it's rude to stare at someone while they sleep?" She muttered the question into her pillow and heard Klaus chuckle in response.

"I can't help it, love. The post-coital glow _really_ suits you." Her eyes popped open and she scoffed as she turned towards him with a smirk of her own.

"Such a flirt in the morning," she mumbled and leaned up to plant a kiss on his lips. "Hi," she said, almost shyly as the events from just a few hours ago rose to the forefront of her mind.

"Good morning," he said softly, not taking his eyes off her as he reached under the covers and pulled her still closer. They simply looked at each other in silence till Klaus finally said aloud the words that were weighing on both their minds.

"So… now what?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I say graphic content? I meant SEXYTIMES BWAHAHAHA.
> 
> Some of you may have guessed it but the crossover was with the TV show ‘House MD’ [based on a scene from the S6 finale and the S7 premiere]. So, Disclaimer: TVD & House MD don’t belong to me! The adaptation just made sense to me.
> 
> Also, smut is not my specialty so please be kind because I did my best.
> 
> I REALLY hope you guys enjoyed the chapter because I put my heart and soul into it. It was a long update and I was kinda nervous/excited about it so if you liked this one, please send some love my way because I always look forward to hearing from you guys J
> 
> Until next week, cheers!
> 
> \--
> 
> MUSIC PROMPTS:
> 
> “What did I miss?”  
> ‘I Always Come Back’ – Michael Suby [TO score]  
> \--  
> “I ended it.”  
> ‘Caroline’s Humanity’ – Michael Suby [TVD score]  
> ‘Memories (Someone We’ll Never Know)’ – Clint Mansell  
> \--  
> “I… never… stopped.”  
> ‘Angel By The Wings’ – Sia  
> ‘Delicate Transitions’ – Gavin Luke  
> \--  
> “Weren’t you the one who said it’s rude to stare at someone while they sleep?”  
> ‘I want to be free’ – Michael Suby [TO score]  
> \--  
> “So… now what?”  
> ‘Where Do We Go From Here’ – Charles Bradley, Menahan Street Band


	29. A Day In The Life - I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Klaus and Caroline figure out what happens next while drama unfolds back at the Salvatore School.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I could see from the amazing responses I got to last week's BIG chapter that there was this overwhelming sense of relief all across. And that just made me all the more grateful for your support - THANK you so much for having faith in my story and sticking around!
> 
> Some of you may have guessed it (and it's totally fine if you didn't) but I'd adapted a scene from House MD for the last bit in the previous chapter. And I had so much fun with it, I adapted a whole episode for the story! Whether you know the show or not, after all that angst I think you guys are owed some well-deserved fluffy KC goodness and WHAT NOT for your patience. Or maybe I'm simply writing the story and that's just the mood now. Either way, enjoy!
> 
> So, adapting an entire episode lead to this HUGE monster of a chapter so I had to split it into two parts. Here's part 1!
> 
> Disclaimer: TVD, TO, Legacies, House MD, nothing is mine. Nothing!

"So… now what?"

Klaus' question lingered in the air between them. Caroline inhaled deeply through her nose and blinked at him before stretching lazily.

"Now… we go back to sleep because I have had a _really_ long week," she stated, shutting her eyes and pulling her blanket closer as she cuddled up next to him. She rested her head on his chest as he brought his arm around her and she felt him drop a soft kiss on her forehead.

"I think you misunderstood, love," Klaus said as he began to trace lazy patterns on her bare back, making Caroline tilt her head up slightly to look at him. "What I meant to ask is what you'd like to do today," he clarified. She raised an eyebrow. "We could eat breakfast, explore the city, whatever you want. My personal preference though, would be continuing where we left off…" he added with a sly grin on his handsome face that sent a tingle down her spine, bringing back more memories of last night.

"Actually…" Caroline sighed, realizing she should be back at the school already and promptly sat up, breaking out of Klaus' hold. "I need to get back to work. I'm pretty sure I'm already late." She began to look for her phone. "I can probably catch the next flight out and get there just in time for the second half," she continued, oblivious to how Klaus' face had dimmed on observing her actions. She held the smooth Egyptian cotton sheet close against her chest and leaned to the side of the bed to retrieve her discarded lingerie. She began to slip her arms into her sports bra when Klaus spoke suddenly.

"So that's it?"

Caroline was just securing the bra hook behind her when her eyes snapped to his. The hurt in his voice was clear; she could tell it was there even when he seemed to be attempting keep his tone even. He was now sitting up with a forlorn look on his face as he watched her in anticipation of a response. She slowly reached out to palm the side of his face.

"Klaus…" she whispered with a reassuring smile. "I'm hoping this is the beginning of it." She leaned in to kiss him softly and as he eagerly responded to her, Caroline's brain began to get flooded with reminders that she should be getting ready to leave.

But his supple lips were hard to tear away from; his tongue was already probing gently for entry into her mouth and her eyelids quivered as she let him in. A soft moan escaped her lips as the kiss began to deepen and just then, Klaus flashed on top of her, caging her body with his elbows. Her eyes widened and she looked up at him in surprise.

"Klaus! Wha –"

"Spend the day with me."

"What?"

"Caroline, after all this time, you've finally chosen to be here with me," he said simply, his lips curling as she squirmed slightly trying to break out of his grip. "Stay, please."

"Klaus, I run a school. I can't just SKIP work! I told you, I didn't really plan –"

"One day, that's all I ask," he pouted. She glowered in response and tried to shift again but he didn't budge. Looking back at him, she caught a glint of mischief in his eyes and the hint of a smirk tugging at the ends of his mouth. A low rumble rose from deep within his throat and Caroline huffed out a laugh in disbelief.

"Klaus… did you just _growl_ at me?" Caroline shook her head, unable to resist the smile spreading across her face. Getting to see this playful side of his that he tucked away from everyone else was so heartwarming that she couldn't help but burst into laughter, drawing a dimpled grin out of him.

"I can be _very_ persuasive sweetheart," he said, leaning down and dropping a quick kiss on her lips before he shifted to her jaw line and further down along the length of her sensitive throat. Caroline could already feel her core responding to his actions and she knew the wolf in him could probably sense it too.

"This won't work," she debated weakly without making any attempt to stop him and swallowing as Klaus' face disappeared under the sheets. Her eyes fluttered closed as his lips seemed to follow a hallowed path down her body and she exhaled sharply as she felt his breath ghost over her bellybutton. He began to softly drag his human teeth along her skin till she could feel his warm lips lingering around her inner thigh. A feeling of eagerness combined with a mild frustration over him being anywhere but where she wanted him started to grate at her.

"Klaus…" she breathed, mildly surprised at how dry her throat had gotten in her anticipation. "You _do_ know I'm too smart to be seduced by – oh!" Her words were caught in her throat as Klaus' tongue worked its magic, the first touch almost blinding her with pleasure and instantly prompting her hands to reach down under the covers and grip fistfuls of his dirty blonde hair.

"Mmm hmm," he murmured against her. She couldn't be sure if it was in response to her words or the fact that her fingers were now dragging across his scalp to keep him steady but either way, the hummed vibrations from his voice felt ridiculously good even as he continued his ministrations within her folds.

The back of her head pressed deeper into the pillow as she felt the pleasant ache slowly build in her lower body. Klaus took his time with her – sucking and swishing his tongue around _just_ right – and in her daze she marveled at how someone with his temperament could be so patient when he wanted to be. She swallowed hard as she felt herself getting closer, only then realizing that she had been holding her breath all this while. She felt her knees tremble slightly and her tongue flicked over her upper lip when a well-positioned nip from Klaus finally pushed her over the edge. Her intense gratification took her by surprise causing her to bite her tongue but the pain was vastly overshadowed by the sensual reprieve that washed all over her body.

She could feel her nerve endings tingling and her chest heaved rapidly, filling her lungs with air that she didn't need. Her body felt both relaxed and exhausted at the same time and she was pretty sure her legs had turned into rubber.

She was just barely dropping from her high when she felt Klaus crawl back up and capture her lips with his. She reacted instantly and was hit with the lingering taste of her on his tongue that now combined with a hint of her own blood's remnants in her mouth. Her hands reached up to clutch the sides of his face as he continued to invade her mouth and she responded in kind. Her fingers began to brush through his stubble and he gently broke away from the kiss with a smug look on his face.

"You seem pretty convinced to me, love," he said, leaning into her touch and kissing the inside of her palm that was caressing his face.

Caroline rolled her eyes at him, mildly annoyed with herself that she was indulging in her pleasure so much that she couldn't be bothered to counterpoint him. That was when she heard the buzzing of a phone from the bed-side table and judging by the look on his face, it seemed to have caught his attention as well.

"Mine or yours?" She muttered glancing at him before stretching her hand out to pick her phone off the side-table. And once more, in what felt like a blink of an eye, the powerful Hybrid was too fast for her and grabbed her phone before she could, using his other arm to pin her shoulders in place. Her jaw dropped and her eyes went wide in shock as she watched him put the device to his ear.

"Klau –" She started to protest but Klaus was already talking.

"Good morning, you've reached Headmistress Caroline Forbes' phone," he said smoothly, his eyes trained on her while bringing a finger to his lips which only infuriated her further. "This is her… _personal_ assistant speaking," he specified to whoever was on the other end, his lips curling as he stressed on the words, making her throat strangely dry. "She is unfortunately rather tied up at the moment; might I take a message?"

Caroline tried to free her hands and pull her phone out of his grasp but was no match for his Hybrid strength.

And if she was being honest, she wasn't really trying too hard either.

She fell back on the bed and closed her eyes, resigning to bask in the echoes of her sensual stupor instead and not even finding it in her to tune in and find out whose call Klaus had even answered.

"Well, that sounds like something you are absolutely capable of handling on your own. Goodbye, now." Caroline heard him end the call and watched him toss the phone to the side before facing her again.

"Who was that?" She asked, biting her lower lip.

"Just someone from your school," he started and Caroline's eyebrows shot up. "Don't worry, love," he assured her, "Everything's perfectly fine."

"Really?" Caroline narrowed her eyes at him with a playfully suspicious look.

"Really." She knew she should probably be more concerned but couldn't help but believe him as his plump raspberry lips fell on hers again.

* * *

"That was weird," MG commented as he shut his phone. He was in the Salvatore school hall standing with Hope as the other students went about with their classes.

"What's wrong?" Hope asked him, her eyebrows furrowed.

"Ms. Forbes is unavailable," MG shrugged. "She must be on one of her recruiting trips."

"Now? That _is_ weird," Hope agreed, raising an eyebrow. "And it's too bad because it would really help if she were here. Dr Saltzman is scrambling to make sure things are as normal as possible in school and we as the student body need to make sure we can help."

"Maybe Ms. Forbes didn't get the message about the school inspection happening today," MG said, shrugging. "I mean, Dr. Saltzman had informed some of us a month ago that a group from Mystic Falls High will be dropping in this week to assess the school before letting us host the flag football game against them. Maybe she didn't know the appointment had been fixed for today."

"That's just the Mystic Falls people acting smart with us," Hope grumbled. "I'm pretty sure they suspect our school has something to hide and they just wanted to catch us off guard by changing the date last minute. Whatever it is, it looks like we're on our own for now."

"Not with us on the team you're not." Hope and MG turned to see Lizzie and Josie walking towards them.

"Lizzie?" MG greeted, smiling at her and Hope groaned.

"Why do you even care?" She muttered and the blonde Saltzman twin rolled her eyes at her.

"Well, we _obviously_ care about the school that our PARENTS run together and so we're here to help," she said matter-of-factly. Josie stood next to her and tilted her head in agreement. Hope sighed, putting her hands up in surrender.

"Okay, let's do this."

* * *

Klaus looked down at Caroline as her head lay nestled in his pillow, her hair a beautiful golden mess. Her shining blue eyes were on his, her lips curved on the verge of a smile. Klaus leaned in to give her a whisper of a kiss on the edge of her mouth, turning her ghost of a smile into a wide one. He smiled back at her and playfully tugged at the ends of her short blond hair as he propped himself over her on his elbows.

"Why did you cut your hair?" He asked lightly, feeling the soft strands between his fingers. Caroline laughed, seemingly amused by his question. She slowly sat up, nudging Klaus off her.

"Why?" she asked, holding the blanket against her chest and tilting her head at him with a coquettish smile. "You don't like it?"

Klaus smirked and sat up as well, proceeding to drop kisses across her bare back that was now exposed to him.

"I can't complain. It does give me a rather unimpeded access to some of my favorite parts of you…" His voice had lowered to a growl as he began to drag his lips across her shoulder, leaving a trail of goose bumps in their wake. "Not that the rest of you is any less favorable," he added and Caroline sighed as he wrapped his arms around her waist beneath the blanket and began to scatter kisses beneath her jaw from behind her. She turned her neck to the side so she could look into his eyes.

"Thank you, Klaus," she said softly.

Klaus looked back at her, his brows furrowed in confusion. "For what?"

Caroline smiled at him. "For respecting my choices," she said simply with a shrug. "You know, even if they didn't serve to coming back around to you."

Klaus' face broke out into the most earnest smile Caroline had ever seen.

"Well, it all worked out well, didn't it? Maybe this was my plan all along."

She looked back at him for a moment before whispering, "Please, no one is _that_ good."

"I'm going to have to disagree," he said as he pulled her back and in a second had spun her around and pinned her against the bed again. He looked at her with a twinkle in his eye. "Now how about we find more interesting ways for you to thank me?"

His words were barely out of his mouth when Caroline quickly flipped them over, now leaving _him_ flat on the bed with her straddling him. In all her bare glory, she bent down and kissed him softly.

"I'd love to…" She breathed into his ear and nipped at his earlobe, drawing a groan out of him. "But I'm a mess. I need a bath."

Klaus' body refueled with lust on her suggestion and he promptly sat up pulling her onto his lap till her center was rubbing up against him. He slipped his hands around her, wanting to hold her as close as possible and he possessed her lips once more with a renewed passion. He dragged his nose down the stretch of her neck, over her collar bone and to her sternum, breathing in her scent along the entire way. He let his tongue roam free to explore her smooth torso, starting with the soft inner curves of her breasts. Just as he began to coax soft breathless moans out of Caroline, her phone started to buzz again. Klaus dropped his face into the crook of her neck and growled in frustration on the unsolicited interruption.

"I'm going to toss that blasted phone…"

"Klaus, maybe it's the school calling with something important…" Her voice came out in soft pants that fell across his back, her arms now wrapped around his shoulder. He let out a long exhale and lifted his head up.

"No," he said simply, shaking his head. "You promised me one day and I will NOT have students calling for silly questions and pointless small talk interrupting our time together." Caroline was about to object but the sincere look on his face put a stop to her griping. "We're keeping our phones away for the day."

"But –"

"Please?" Klaus asking tilting his head at her and Caroline huffed out a smile.

"Okay, fine," she finally agreed, lifting her long slender legs off him and stepping off the bed. "But if I've to face a torrent of manic voicemails at the end of the day, I'm blaming you," she said, wagging her finger at him and leaning down to pick up his discarded silk shirt from the floor. Klaus admired her curves from the bed as he watched her put it on. "Also, I still want my bath," she added firmly, popping in a few buttons on the shirt, leaving her chest just visible enough to tease him. Klaus could feel his body reacting to it _very_ positively.

"Allow me," he said with a smirk and pulled back the covers, not missing Caroline's eyes roving over his body before she looked away with a blush. "Feeling shy now are we, love?" He chuckled as he pulled on his boxers and she rolled her eyes at him. Just when she looked like she was about to retort, her cell began to buzz again. Her gaze darted towards the phone and then back to him as a look of doubt spread across her face.

"Klaus, maybe just one call to make sure –"

"You need to relax, love," he insisted, grabbing both their phones and standing up. He flashed up to her and slipped his arms around her waist, locking her in his embrace with his wrists. He could see the hesitation and mild anxiety on her face. "I already told you, everything is perfectly alright," He assured her and planted a soft kiss on her lips. "Why don't you just wait here while I draw you the most soothing bath you will have experienced?" Caroline snorted out a laugh.

" _You_ are going to draw me a bath? I thought that was the kind of thing you super-villains pawned off to your minions." Klaus chuckled and leaned down to nip at a sensitive spot behind her ear. His Hybrid senses immediately became aware of her heat and he secretly prided in being able to invoke that out of Caroline simply with a touch.

"Some skills are useful in more ways than one," he breathed into her ear and she swallowed. He then broke out of their embrace and walked towards the bathroom. "Just wait here," he told her hastily and shut the door behind him before she could realize her phone was buzzing again. He was about to turn it off straightaway when the look of worry on Caroline's face crossed his mind. He squeezed his eyes shut and groaned to himself before finally answering her phone.

"Somebody better have had their heart ripped out," he growled and the person on the other end of the line stammered slightly.

"Err… Mr. Assistant? It's MG, the student aide. We had spoken earlier –"

"Ms. Forbes is extremely busy so get to the point." He spoke with her phone held to his ear and plugged the drain of the tub. He turned the faucets and watched the cool water hiss into it.

"Right. Erm, there's a bit of a problem here and we're not sure how to handle it so I was wondering if you could ask her –"

"What problem?" He asked impatiently.

"The school inspection I mentioned earlier had been shifted to today? Yeah, one of the human students who came along got bitten by one of the vampires on campus."

"How is that a problem? Heal them, compel them, send them on their way."

"The people of Mystic Falls are on vervain and so is this guy."

"Then tell them it's just a really bad _hickie_ , I don't care. Just figure it out," Klaus snarled into the phone and once again thought about Caroline and how anxious she would be if she found out her school was in trouble. He exhaled and started typing his number into a text. "I'm sending you another number to contact me directly ONLY if things become utterly unmanageable. You understand me?"

"Err, yeah. Thanks, but –"

Klaus had already hung up and was about to keep the phone aside when he noticed Caroline's phone screen had lit up with a text from Alaric.

 _Heard about the breakup. Are you okay? CALL ME URGENTLY_.

Klaus contemplated sending a decoy text as a response but thought better of it. He switched off Caroline's phone and dropped it into the drawer beneath the wash basin while putting his own on silent mode and leaving it in the pocket of a bathrobe hanging on the bathroom's coat rack.

With that sorted, he located the bath salts and began to empty them into the tub that was slowly filling up.

* * *

Alaric frowned as he stole another glance at his phone. There was still no response from Caroline.

After a couple of unanswered calls to her he had reached out to Cory who informed him that they had just broken up. After some awkward small talk he had hung up and began to worry about her. He understood she was probably hurting and wanted some time alone but unfortunately there had been a change in the date for the school inspection and they had a crisis.

He was in his office right now while his most trusted staff members – Dorian the librarian and Emma the witch – had been charged with handling the rest of the inspection along with Kaleb and Jed while they dealt with their little 'bitten student' problem. MG had been ordered to stay in another room till the place was cleared of any spilled blood. The injured student, a boy named Ethan, was sitting on a chair across his desk as Hope knelt before him and consoled him. He had been given some of her blood to heal his bite wound which Josie had just finished cleaning up but he continued to rub his neck, still evidently in shock.

"I don't know what happened…" Ethan mumbled, his eyes wide in confusion.

"It's okay, you're safe now," Hope assured him.

"MG! You can come in now!" Lizzie yelled from her seat across the office and Alaric glared at his daughter. "What?" She shrugged. "This guy's fine; MG doesn't need to stand outside for the rest of this fiasco." Alaric sighed and pinched the bridge of nose, turning to Ethan.

"Are you sure you didn't see who did this to you?"

"Also, Dad, where the hell is Mom?" Lizzie questioned and Alaric's attention was back on her.

"Honestly, I don't know, sweetheart. I've been trying to get in touch with her –"

"Why are you and Mom keeping secrets from us?" Lizzie continued, getting up from her seat to stand in front of her father and Josie had joined her. Alaric sighed.

"Girls, can we do this another time –"

"Mom told us about the school you're planning to open in New Orleans," Josie piped in.

"A school…" Alaric repeated. He had no idea what his daughters were talking about and this was yet another good reason for him to find Caroline soon.

He started to respond and at that moment the door to his office flew open and MG scurried in. Everyone's eyes turned to stare at him and the young vampire raised an eyebrow.

"What? I heard Lizzie say it was okay to get back in the room," he explained before turning to address Alaric. "Also, I tried to call Ms. Forbes again –"

"MG, my sister and I are in the middle of a VERY important conversation with our beloved father," Lizzie interrupted him but Alaric was looking to MG for more information.

"Get anything useful for us?"

"Keep it short and sweet, MG!" Lizzie warned. The student aide looked between her and Alaric and finally shook his head.

"No, nothing," he admitted. Alaric groaned in frustration and turned back to his girls who were still standing before him looking at him accusingly.

"Girls, I promise we will talk about this when your mother gets back. Can we please focus on the problem at hand right now before this isolated incident leads to our school being outed to the rest of the world?" Alaric looked between the two of them who exchanged looks with each other before Josie spoke up.

"Fine."

"What she said," Lizzie agreed.

"Great," Alaric exhaled slowly. "You can help me with Ethan then." He turned to Hope. "Let's get him to the infirmary for now. In case the others come looking for him we can tell them he's sick…"

"What are you guys talking about?" Ethan said suddenly. "Who are you people? What's going on here?"

"Here come all the questions," Lizzie muttered. Josie walked up to stand next to Hope and touched her shoulder to siphon magic before she waved her palm across Ethan's face, muttering an incantation which made him doze off in the chair.

"Josie!" Alaric exclaimed at her casual use of magic on the human.

"Dad, it's fine. He's just asleep."

"We didn't need to put a spell on him, Josie," Hope sighed. "We could have just told him to walk with us."

"And now we can just levitate him there and he wouldn't even have to know."

"We shouldn't have to use magic for every little thing!"

"What's the point of being a witch if you can't use magic for everything?"

"Enough!" Alaric shouted and that put an end to their argument. "Josie, you used magic on him; which means you and Lizzie get to carry him to the infirmary yourself. NO magic," he clarified, before she could protest.

"How did I get dragged into this?" Lizzie complained.

Two minutes later, MG was on lookout to make sure the inspection team wasn't around while the Saltzman twins shouldered a sleeping Ethan behind Alaric and Hope who led the entourage. Alaric opened the door to the infirmary and began to let them in when he heard someone speak.

"What's going on here?" Alaric's eyes shot to the source of the voice behind to see Arianna standing there, looking at him with a puzzled expression at what was unfolding before them. She glanced at the unconscious boy balancing between the twins and her eyes widened. "Is he –"

"He's fine Miss Fell; he's just been bitten and we're trying to make sure he's okay without stressing him out," Alaric spoke before she could complete her question. "We don't know who did it but…"

"Dr. Saltzman, can I have a moment?" Arianna asked suddenly, placing a light touch on his arm. Alaric frowned and turned to the others.

"Take him inside and make sure he's comfortable. I'll be right inside." The girls nodded and continued to drag Ethan inside while Hope & MG followed. Alaric turned back to Arianna with a concerned look. "What's wrong?" Arianna looked back at him and began to fidget with her fingers, almost like she was embarrassed.

"I thought it's important for you to know… I'm the one that bit him."

"What?!"

* * *

Klaus exhaled deeply and shut his eyes, feeling utterly relaxed as he reclined against the slope of his bathtub with one arm hanging over the rim. The contrast between the feel of porcelain cooling his back and the perfectly warm water that he was unwinding in created the ideal conditions he preferred for a bath.

And then there was the beautiful blonde vampire in the water with him, whose back was flush against his chest. He could feel her low, slow breaths and readjusted his legs to cozy her body up perfectly between them. Even then as she lay there leaning against him, he couldn't help but admire the gleam of the water against the skin on her exposed shoulders. The tub was full enough to cover her breasts but her knees peeped up above the water during the exceptional moments where she felt the need to stretch out her legs.

They had been sitting in a comfortable silence for a few minutes before Klaus opened his eyes and leaned down to kiss her damp head of hair that were now a few shades darker from all the moisture. He took a deep breath and got a whiff of what smelled to his hyper Hybrid senses like lavender and vanilla. Caroline shifted slightly and Klaus chuckled into her mane.

"Sweetheart, I thought you wanted to relax."

"I am relaxing," she insisted.

"You're distracted. I can tell," Klaus pointed out, making Caroline crane her neck to the side to look at him. "You're wondering why your phone was buzzing earlier and who called from school and why." She looked at him before turning away from him again and sinking back into his chest.

"Maybe," she admitted quietly.

"Talk to me," Klaus said simply and Caroline sighed.

"There's this school inspection from Mystic Falls High that's happening sometime this week and I _need_ things to go perfectly if I have any hope of the school being included in more activities and interactions with other schools," she explained and Klaus now understood what the student he had spoken to earlier was talking about. "I mean, we're prepared for it but it's still pretty nerve-wracking you know," she said, tilting her face to the side and raising her arms above the water to scrub them with her palms.

"I see."

"I swear I sometimes feel like Mystic High is out to get me, like I'm stealing prospective students or something," she grumbled. "I'm sure they'll be looking out for something to go wrong so they can report or disqualify us as a school… which is ridiculous because I'm an alumnus!" Klaus brought his arms around her waist under the water and pressed his face into the crook of her neck as he listened to her ramble on about the school administration drama.

"I'm sure it will be fine, love," he said, kissing her shoulder and she sighed.

"I hope so." Klaus heard the mild anxiety in Caroline's voice and suddenly felt the urge to ensure that things were truly fine at the school for her sake. He reflected on the last call from that student aide and now began to wonder if the problem he had mentioned was actually being handled properly.

He also remembered Alaric's concerned message on Caroline's phone screen and caught himself deliberating if the beautiful woman in his arms really was doing okay. He wasn't particularly interested in talking about the human she had just split up with but he supposed he might as well get the inevitable topic out of the way.

"Caroline…"

"Hmm?"

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yeah, what do you –"

"You just broke up with your fiancé, love. And now you're here with me…"

"Klaus, can we just NOT talk about this right now?" Caroline muttered. Klaus could tell she had some feelings about the subject floating beneath the surface but he supposed she would talk about it when she was ready. He tucked a wet strand of her hair behind her ear.

"As you wish, sweetheart."

* * *

Alaric stared at his recent hire in shock, unable to believe what he had just heard.

"I'm sorry, Miss Fell. Did you just say that you BIT a student?"

"Well technically your contract says students of the _school_ and he certainly doesn't go here…"

"No biting ANY student goes without saying!"

"How was I supposed to know he was on vervain?"

"Wait, you tried to compel him?" Alaric asked, frowning. "He said he didn't see anything."

"I could taste it in his blood," Arianna explained. "And as soon as I did I dropped him and fled the scene." Alaric stared her shaking his head in disbelief.

"What exactly did you think was going to happen, Arianna?" He hissed at her, leaning down on her. "You thought I was going to let you continue working here, surrounded by students who could fall prey to your feeding habits anytime?"

"To be fair, you weren't supposed to find out…"

"You've done this before?!" Alaric exclaimed, his eyed wide.

"No! No, I promise." Arianna urged and let out a deep breath. "You have to understand I'm an extremely old vampire and I'm slightly set in my ways and my… feeding habits. And the school has this bunny blood situation and over the past few days that just got to me I suppose."

"That is NO excuse! In fact, there IS no excuse for what you've done!" Alaric snapped at her and her apologetic expression slowly turned into one of smugness as she narrowed her eyes and looked up at him.

"Well, good luck finding someone else who can do what I do to help your students," she drawled and Alaric pursed his lips in frustration.

"You can't stay on the campus anymore."

"Fine."

"And your presence at the school will be strictly limited to your working hours. No extra sessions, nothing."

"Fair enough."

Alaric was fuming, he would have preferred straight out firing her and making sure she never came near his students again. Anyone that posed a threat to the children, even if it was a one-time slip as she claimed, was to be banished from the school grounds.

But unfortunately for him, she was right and she knew it. They had been searching for someone like her for a long time and MG was doing really well after his sessions with her. Even the other students who were going in for counseling sessions had only good things to say about her.

He supposed he had to go by a calculated assumption that it would all be worth it. Based on his experience when it came to vampires, sometimes knowing that the good acts outweigh the bad was the closest thing to a somewhat reliable judgment one could go by. He sighed.

"Clear your things out of your Quarters today," he instructed her firmly and moved to join the others in the infirmary.

"Wait!" she exclaimed suddenly, grabbing his arm and Alaric's eyes darted to hers in surprise. "At least let me help."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooh, do we trust Arianna or not? Who else recognized all the Legacies characters? Also, I had so much fun with the KC moments in this one!
> 
> I'm letting Caroline relax and put herself first for once like she deserves :) And it was interesting developing Klaus' character and portray him going out of his comfort zone to be considerate of Caroline's feelings, among other things. I hope y'all enjoyed reading it as much I did writing it. Let me know if you did!
> 
> Stay safe, stay healthy wherever y'all are. The adaptation chapter will be continued next week!
> 
> \--
> 
> MUSIC PROMPTS  
> ~.~
> 
> "I can be very persuasive sweetheart."  
> 'Feeling Good' - Muse  
> \--  
> "Why did you cut your hair?"  
> 'Law of Attraction (solo version)' - Milo Edale


	30. A Day In The Life - II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Klaus and Caroline have some important conversations while things in the school are dealt with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the delay, I get a little busy trying to rack up on good deeds this time of year. Also, this chapter felt HEAVY-duty to me as it contains some very important topics that are finally discussed and I thus ended up obsessing over the scenes till things felt right. To top it all I added a bonus scene that ended up taking longer to write than usual because it seemed simple but was actually quite significant.
> 
> Anyway, you don't want to know all this so here's the second & last part of the House MD adaptation to the story. Enjoy :)
> 
> Also, we just crossed 10K hits! Thank you, THANK YOU so very much for all the support.
> 
> Disclaimer: TVD & House MD don't belong to me, this is an adaptation I put together in my head. Please pardon any errors despite my obsessive editing because I'm running low on sleep.

"You were gone for like a _minute_. HOW did you manage to get beignets?"

Caroline was looking at Klaus wide-eyed as she sat in the middle of his bed in nothing but a layered silk bathrobe holding the package of sugary goods he had just handed to her. "Oh my God, they're still warm!" Her eyes lit up as she carefully opened the box and picked one out for a bite. The delicious sounds that escaped her lips made Klaus want to lick off the powdered sugar that had now dusted across her pink cheeks. He resisted, deciding he should at least let her enjoy one before he decided to pounce on her again.

However, by the time she had gotten to her third beignet with no sign of stopping he began to sulk.

"Sweetheart, I'm starting to wonder if I should be jealous of those baked items you're enjoying so much," he commented with a smirk and Caroline rolled her eyes.

"You didn't answer my question," she retorted, licking her sugary fingers and to Klaus' amusement, grabbing yet another sugary piece of fried dough. "I'm not sure whether to be amazed at the fact that you got this here so fast or the possibility that you went to Café du Monde in nothing but your pants on," she smiled at him and gestured at his state of mild undress. Klaus simply shrugged.

"Truth be told, I _was_ going to have some breakfast made and sent up for us," he admitted. "That's when I spotted a box of fresh beignets someone made the grave mistake of leaving out unattended on the dining table." As soon as he said that, Caroline stopped chewing and glared at him.

"Klaus! What if it was being saved for someone?" She scolded him, immediately putting the box away.

"Then they can learn from their mistakes," he said simply. "I did manage to get you this though," he said, dropping a blood bag on the bed in front of her. "And don't worry," Klaus specified, seeing her eye the bag suspiciously, "It's from a chiller that I keep in my studio." Caroline curled her lips, slowly picking up the bag and opening it to take a sip. She slurped on it, not taking her eyes off Klaus.

"Interesting how I seem to have just about _everything_ I need in this room," she said, flashing him a teasing smile. "Planning to keep me locked away in this tower forever?"

"I wouldn't be completely averse to the idea, no."

"Well, if you must know, blood is not how I exactly prefer to start my day when I'm with someone." Caroline looked at Klaus pointedly and he raised an eyebrow. It was when a sly smirk began to spread across his face that Caroline's eyes widened, realizing the implication of what she had said.

"Oh my God, Klaus! I was talking about sharing a cup of coffee!" She exclaimed and Klaus burst into laughter. He was just about to respond when they were interrupted by a series of loud raps on the door.

"NIKLAUS! DID YOU STEAL MY BEIGNETS? I know it was you!" Klaus looked at Caroline with a mischievous grin and she stared back at him in disbelief.

" _Seriously_ , Klaus?" She snapped at him in a low voice. "I didn't even realize Kol was here," she added as an afterthought.

"You don't have to whisper love, he can't hear us," he twirled his finger, indicating the privacy spells in place.

"I was taking them for Davina you know. Not that you'd care but I'm headed to the airport! I suppose I'll see you next time there's a crisis in this blasted city!" Kol continued from outside the door. When they heard the sounds of him walking away, Caroline tilted her head at Klaus with a look of mild accusation on her face.

"Don't you think you should step out and at least say goodbye, Klaus?"

"I'm not wasting time being away from you," he insisted and she shook her head at him.

Just then there was a sound of something buzzing and Caroline frowned, looking back at Klaus in confusion. She started patting the sides of her heavy bathrobe and finally tucked her hand into the pocket, pulling out what appeared to be his phone that was still ringing silently in her hand. She scoffed and looked up, directing a scalding glower straight at him.

"You told me you had switched our phones off! You left yours on? What, the rules don't apply to you, Klaus?" She was waving the screen in his face and he caught a glance of the Caller ID, which he was sure she had noticed too. "And who the hell is 'Idiot Child'? Please don't tell me it's –"

Caroline didn't have a chance to finish as Klaus had sprung upon her, leaving her flat on the bed with him on top as his superior Hybrid speed allowed him to easily flick the phone out her hand. He smirked at her in triumph and tossed the phone to the side. She pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at him.

"Not so fast, Mikaelson."

Caroline used all her vampire strength to push Klaus over and he reciprocated causing them to roll about on the bed, each one fighting for dominance over the other. Neither one was ready to let the other win as they continued to wrestle until finally their scramble led to them unceremoniously falling off the edge of the bed… with Caroline coming out on top.

Klaus looked up at her to see a smug smile on her now flushed face. Her short hair was a beautiful tangle of blonde tresses and she lightly blew a stray strand out of her eyes while keeping her gaze trained on him. He noticed the robe she was wearing had loosened up in their playful scuffle and right now all he wanted to do was rip it off her and ravish her on the hard wood floor till she –

"Why?" Caroline's voice broke him out of his reverie and his eyebrows furrowed. "Why would you tell me to keep our phones off so we can spend time together and then leave yours on?" Klaus huffed, opening his mouth to speak and then closing it, only then realizing how his action must have appeared to her.

"It was…" He groaned and looked up at her, shaking his head knowing how he was going to sound. "It was important…"

"Way to make a girl feel special, Klaus." She adjusted her bathrobe and Klaus tried not to be affected by the fact that she was still straddling him on his bedroom floor. "Everyone has important stuff," she said pointedly, crossing her arms in front of her and continuing to glare at him. Klaus sighed, knowing there was no way he would be able to explain things without letting her know about the crisis at her school.

And then she would drop everything and leave.

 _No_.

All he asked for is ONE day and he was going to get one day. He would figure out a way to solve the school's problem without her knowledge.

But for now, he needed to appease the feelings of one fuming blonde vampire.

"How can I acquit myself?" He asked simply, hoping she would choose to let him get away with what he had done in return for something. She tilted her head to the side and frowned as if carefully considering his question. She then slowly bent forward till her face was inches away and her blue orbs burned into his.

"You…" she started, using her finger to tap on his chest and emphasize her point, "…are going to be a good brother and say your goodbyes to Kol before he leaves." Klaus grumbled in frustration.

"Caroline –"

"AND…" she added, interrupting his rebuttal, "You're going to give him back his box of beignets…" she sat up and stretched to grab the box that had fallen off to the side of the bed during their kerfuffle from a few minutes ago. She placed the box on his bare chest and smirked at him.

"This is ridiculous."

"Take it or leave it, mister," she said with finality and Klaus rolled his eyes.

"Alright, alright. I will switch off my phone and say good bye to Kol. But you… are going to have to get off me first, love," he said, his voice thick with lust. And before Caroline could react, he promptly sat up and snaked his arms around her waist, eliciting a gasp out of her from their sudden closeness again. In a split second he had flashed her back onto the bed. Flashing her a smirk, he sped out of the room with his phone and the box of baked goods in hand, leaving behind an exasperated Caroline sprawled out across his sheets.

He shut the door behind him and looked around once before he tossed the half eaten box of beignets to the side knowing well that Kol would have left already by now. He had _other_ reasons for giving in to Caroline's demands so easily.

Almost as if on cue, his phone began to buzz again in his other hand. Trying to keep his anger in check for the sake of Caroline, he exhaled and answered the phone.

" _What_?"

"Can you just please let me talk to Ms. Forbes for a moment," came the nervous voice that Klaus was now coming to recognize as MG's.

"I told you, she's not available at the moment."

"Well the bitten student is freaking out a bit and we're really not sure –look, we just want to know if she had any ideas on what to do –"

"Is this the same student that's on vervain?" Klaus interrupted impatiently.

"Yeah, but –"

"Do you have a hospital wing or a first-aid room?"

"Err, yeah. He's actually at the infirmary right now…"

"Fantastic. Get someone to stick a needle in him and drain the vervain out of his system so you can compel him to forget the whole thing happened."

"W-what? But… isn't that dangerous? I mean, I'm guessing that's a lot of blood…"

"If anyone asks, tell them that Car – erm, Ms. Forbes approved it."

"Did she, though?"

"Just _do_ it," he snarled and hung up, convinced that his tone would have gotten the message across to the student. He then promptly switched off his phone and turned to go back into his room.

* * *

Hope's eyes darted to the door as she saw MG hurry inside and pocket his phone. "Where were you?" She asked, curiously.

"So I _kinda_ managed to get through to Ms. Forbes… I think," he shook his head uncertainly. "I was told we should drain the vervain out of his system and compel him." Hope raised her eyebrows in disbelief and Alaric walked up to MG.

"Wait, you got in touch with Caroline?" He looked surprised and that made Hope slightly suspicious. "Did you talk to her?"

"Well, not _directly_ but –"

"Is Mom like, avoiding you?" Lizzie broke in, seeming to have caught on to Alaric's curious behavior as well.

"She's not –"

"What's this about draining the vervain out?" Josie now spoke up as she stood next to Ethan. She had put him to sleep again after he panicked on being woken up from the spell she had cast on him earlier.

"I think it's a brilliant idea."

Everyone's heads turned to the sugary voice of Arianna Fell who stood there and waved her hands at them like what she said was the most obvious thing in the world.

"What? It's not like you lot have better ideas," she said with a light shrug. Hope narrowed her eyes at their supernatural consultant before instinctually turning to look at Alaric who looked… annoyed?

 _There was definitely something else going on here_. Hope cleared her throat.

"Dr. Saltzman," she started, getting Alaric's attention, "I don't think we have much of a choice."

"Erm, all this sounds like it involves a lot of human blood," MG commented with an awkward smile and Arianna came up next to him.

"I'm afraid it does, Milton," she said, her voice turning softer as she placed her arm on his shoulder. "I know we've been working on our self-control and it's been going great. But if we're going to do this, I'd rather you didn't remain in the room to test it out just yet."

"Yeah MG, go catch up with the inspection group," Alaric instructed. "Keep us posted on what's going on and let us know when they're done." MG simply nodded at him and Arianna before hurrying out of the room. Lizzie then stood up and walked up to her father.

"What exactly is the plan, Dad? We can't just pick up syringes and start taking blood out of the guy or whatever. We need to get someone like Cory in here."Alaric began to respond when Arianna spoke up.

"I can do it," she said, looking straight at Alaric. "I've lived a long time. Let's just say I have some… experience in the field." Alaric decided he didn't want to dwell on that piece of information just yet and exhaled deeply, turning to the students in the room.

"Check the supplies. Let's see what we're working with here."

* * *

Caroline collapsed face-down onto the bed with Klaus crumbling right behind her until he slowly slid off her back to rest by her side. They dipped under the covers, their breath coming out in heavy pants as their bodies remained misty with sweat from their latest bout of love-making. The irony lay in the fact that what got them going at it again was Caroline making the genuine suggestion that it would probably be healthy for them to maybe put on some clothes and step outside the room for a bit.

Klaus had simply felt the strong need to convince her otherwise.

Caroline rested the back of her palm against her forehead and stared at the ceiling. This last round with Klaus had been so intense her body continued to thrum with pleasure even now as she lay lounging on his Egyptian cotton sheets.

As her breath began to even out, she stole a sideways glance at the handsome Hybrid lying next to her. His eyes were closed but she knew he wasn't asleep. He simply looked so peaceful; she took the chance just then to admire his visage.

Klaus' expression was neutral but Caroline was starting to notice that whenever he was relaxed, his lips had the tendency to curve slightly at the edges showing just the beginnings of a dimple on his cheek. She beamed at him, finding herself fighting off the urge to poke him awake just so he would smile and his dimples would cut deeper.

As she continued to look at him the whirlwind of a day she was having began to slow down to a normal pace and reality started to sink in. All of sudden the moment felt surreal and her heart clenched, unable to believe how much she really loved this man.

And he loved her too, this she was sure of.

Although there was this nagging voice at the back of her head saying it would be nice if he actually said the words…

But this was Klaus Mikaelson. He had his way of showing affection and he was known to more often than not portray his feelings through actions, not just words.

Not that his words made her melt any less. As for his actions… hell, if she had to go simply by the number of times he had made her come in just the last twelve hours…

She smiled to herself at her own digression of thoughts. Klaus may not have said the words in the strictest sense but she knew he loved her and that's what mattered. She felt him shift slightly next to her and saw his eyes flap open almost as if in response to her thoughts. His ocean blue gaze fell on her and he smiled.

"What are you thinking about, love?" He asked; his voice soft as he blinked at her. Caroline laughed lightly.

"I was just wondering if you have an ulterior motive behind keeping me cooped up in here all day."

"I thought I made it clear what my motives with you were…" he started, leaning in to kiss her neck. She instantly felt his light touch send chills across her shoulder.

"That's not what I meant," she insisted, trying not to get lost in the feel of his lips that were now sucking on her collarbone. "Did you tell Kol that I'm here?"

That seemed to get his attention and he leaned back to look at her.

"Erm…"

"What about Rebekah? Does anyone in the house even know that I'm in this room with you?" Klaus shrugged and let out a short laugh.

"I don't see how that is significant, sweetheart…"

"Klaus, are you hiding me in this room?" She asked dryly with a raised eyebrow and watched in shock as his handsome face exploded into a peal of laughter.

"Now why would you think that, Caroline?" He asked in between laughs.

"I was just… I don't know!" She scoffed and sat up in the bed, barely noticing the sheet that had drifted down to just above her breasts.

She didn't miss the way Klaus' eyes lit up at this, though. He sighed.

"Caroline…" he started. "As much as I would love to shout off the rooftops about you being with me, did you perhaps consider that my hesitation in making your presence here known was so you could have the chance to dispel the news at your own pace on your own terms?"

"So you _were_ keeping me from them…"

"Sweetheart…" he sat up next to her and began to stroke her bare back. "You just ended a long term relationship with someone; someone who you had decided to marry no less. And… well, here we are."

"Why do you keep reminding me of that…" she grumbled, pulling up the sheet closer to her chest and looking away as she crossed her arms.

"I don't mean to upset you, Caroline," he said softly, tucking a few blonde strands of her hair behind her ear tenderly. "But you must realize that as an immortal creature you will have many important relationships with different people in your life and it's important to acknowledge the impact they leave on you as you move forward." Caroline looked at him for moment and rolled her eyes.

"Ugh, okay Grandpa," she scoffed.

" _Grandpa_?" His eyes widened in indignation as he watched her kick off the covers and pick up the bathrobe she had been wearing earlier, one that had also found its way onto the floor like the rest of their clothes.

"Whatever, Klaus," she grumbled as she tied the knot around her waist. "Can we just do something else now?" Klaus raised an eyebrow.

"What do you suggest, love?" She curled her lips as she thought about it.

"I think it's time we stepped into your studio," she said, grinning at him.

* * *

Hope rubbed her eyes and a strange chill ran through her body as she watched the blood drain out of Ethan's vein into a bag that had been placed next to him. He had been given some pain killers that were supposedly very strong and they seemed to be making him woozy.

"What… what are you people… doing to me?" Ethan began to mumble as he attempted to shift in his chair, his weakened state stopping him from doing so.

"There there, child," Arianna said, patting him on the back. "Everything will be alright," she added brightly. Hope caught a strange look cross Alaric's face and that's when she decided this would be the perfect time to ask the question no one seemed to be interested in finding the answer to.

"Isn't anyone curious about finding out who did this?" Hope asked slowly, looking around and paying special attention to Alaric's expression. He looked straight at her.

"Don't worry about it. I will deal with that later," he stated before averting his gaze.

"But what if they're still out and about?"

"I said I'll _handle_ it alright, Hope?" Alaric said sternly, making it clear to her that something else was going on. As curious as she was, something in Alaric's tone said she shouldn't push it further.

"How do we know it's working?" Josie asked, her face reflecting concern as she stood next to Ethan. "How much blood do we even need to drain before the vervain is filtered out? How does that even –"

"Oh, little one, we'll know," Arianna waved her off and looked into the human's drowsy eyes. "Maybe I'll ask him to do a little dance and if he does, well…" She smiled at her own joke while Hope and the rest of the group stared back at her, unable to be sure if she was being serious or not.

"Err, Dad?" Lizzie spoke up from the corner where she sat on a couch browsing her phone. "The inspection group is asking for you. MG just texted." Alaric nodded and immediately walked up to Hope.

"I need you to hold the fort while I'm gone," he spoke softly, "And please keep an eye on… him," he tilted his head towards Ethan, who was being examined by Arianna. Hope wasn't sure if Alaric was only referring to Ethan but nodded in agreement all the same. He then stepped out the room leaving her wondering whether she needed to be worried by the fact that he had chosen to inadvertently put her in charge while there was another teacher in the room.

* * *

"I know what you're doing, love."

Caroline's head shifted slightly, breaking out of the position on the couch that she had been posed in by Klaus. She had her bathrobe on, albeit loosely hanging off her shoulders to somewhat sate Klaus' blatant suggestion that he preferred it if she had _nothing_ on at all.

She wasn't ready for _that_ to happen… at least, not yet.

She threw a curious glance at Klaus who was sitting slightly further away from her and hadn't looked up from his sketch book as he spoke.

"What?"

"This is classic deflection."

"I am NOT deflecting!"

"And I am not complaining, sweetheart, considering it has led to be in a position where I can finally sketch you from real life and not just memory." As charming as his words were, Caroline had to hold back the urge to roll her eyes at him again.

"Seriously, Klaus?"

"Touchy subject, Caroline? Perhaps we should talk about something less dramatic then. I was thinking you take two weeks off from school and we book a first class ticket to Rome for next week –"

"What? No!"

"Why not?"

"Klaus…" she huffed, pulling up the bathrobe over her shoulders. "I can't just decide to drop everything at school and fly off to another city!"

"Why _not_?" He repeated with a straight face. She could see he was going to sulk till he got a valid enough argument to prove him wrong.

"I… I just don't want us doing anything till I know my kids are safe from the Merge," she said softly and Klaus sighed.

"As a parent, I understand. But you're being unrealistic," he said, mild impatience creeping into his voice. "What is it; you plan to put _us_ on hold until then? After…" he sighed, giving her an earnest look. "After all this? I realize you want to wait before telling your family but I don't see the point on hinging the decision on something that could take such an unforeseen amount of time."

"Actually it may happen sooner than you think," she whispered and saw Klaus' expression abruptly change to one of confusion as she stood up from the couch. "Are you done?" She asked and swiftly walked to his side to look at the sketch, ignoring how he hadn't taken his anxious eyes off her. She lifted the sketch out of his hands and her jaw dropped.

She could tell it wasn't complete but it didn't lessen the impact of the image. Klaus' firm strokes of graphite across the white sheet brought her to life in ways she could never have pictured.

It was like she was getting the chance to view herself from a whole different perspective altogether.

The first sketch he had given her all those years ago had been breathtaking even when he had done it off memory but this was something else.

"Do you like it?" Klaus' voice, now much softer, broke into her thoughts. "It's not finished, but –"

"It's beautiful, Klaus," she breathed out. She looked up from the drawing to see his now concerned deep blue eyes. "You really do see me like no one else does." Her voice trembled slightly and that's when she felt a hot tear streak down her cheek. Klaus' frowned and he reached out to wipe the tear away with his thumb. She let out a tiny sob, at which point he pulled her into a hug.

"It's alright, sweetheart…" he rubbed her back lightly and whispered into her hair.

"No, it's not, Klaus," she said softly and broke out of their embrace to go back and sit on the couch she had been posing on. She brought her knees up to her chest and hugged her arms around them. Her tears continued to pour out as a very worried looking Klaus came and sat next to her. He let her have a few moments of to cry it out before he spoke.

"This isn't just about your ex-fiancé, is it?" He asked somberly. She shook her head.

"No." Caroline brought her knees down to sit cross-legged and fidgeted with her thumbs as she thought about what she was going to say next. "I know what needs to be done for the Merge curse to go away."

She kept her gaze averted from his and Klaus remained silent as her waited for her to elaborate.

"Klaus, I think…"

She swallowed before she said the words she had been aching to tell someone, anyone.

"I think I might have to die to save my children."

" _What_?"

She waited for the bomb to go off; the angry outburst that was bound to come out of the notoriously impatient Hybrid, a trait particularly observed to be more prominent when it involved someone he cared about.

She waited for him to yell at her saying she was being ridiculous and that her conclusions were wrong. The tears didn't stop as she finally lifted her gaze to his, expecting him to explode on her.

And then he went ahead and did the last thing she would have ever imagined.

"Caroline…" he whispered to her, the troubled look in his eyes now intensified with a hint of pain and fear as he looked back at her. He reached out and slowly cupped her face. Another soft sob barely escaped her lips as he pulled her into a chaste kiss. Caroline's eyes fluttered shut as the feel of his lips grazing against hers and his fingers now lodged in her hair seemed to ease some of the tension in her body. He gently broke apart and rested his forehead on hers.

"I won't let you die," he said, his breath teasing her lips. "We will find another way. I promise."

Caroline sniffled, wanting nothing more at that moment than to believe him and stay in his arms forever.

* * *

Alaric shook hands with one of the supervisors with a smile plastered on his face while Arianna stood next him doing the same with the Mystic Falls principal.

"I guess we'll be seeing you at the game soon, then," one of the teachers commented.

"Definitely," Alaric agreed with them, not letting his smile drop.

Dorian and Emma, the staff leading the tour, went to see them off while Alaric and Arianna stood back and generally waved in their direction, watching the group of people including Ethan get into their cars.

"That wasn't so terrible, was it?" Arianna shrugged with a smile and Alaric glared at her.

"This would have been fine if it wasn't for you," he growled.

"Now, now, I said I was sorry," she pouted at him and he stared at her. "If you'll excuse me, I have to get started on packing up so I can get to vacating my living quarters. See? I am capable of keeping my word," she said and promptly flashed away, leaving him shaking his head in disbelief.

He was on his way to his office when he ran into MG, who was lugging a pile of books. Alaric raised a curious eyebrow at him.

"It's just homework," MG smiled. "Well, mine and Lizzie's too –"

"My girls are studying _now_? Where are they?"

"Oh, them and Hope, they're getting dinner in the Dining Hall," MG explained.

"That's good," he said, nodding and just as MG was starting to walk away, he called out to him. "Hey!" The young vampire turned around to look at him. "Thank you for your help today, MG. We wouldn't have been able to deal with the problem if it wasn't for your suggestion."

"I told you, Dr. Saltzman, it was Ms. Forbes idea," MG clarified before tilting his head in thought. "Actually I'm pretty sure it was her assistant who came up with it. He only told me it was Ms. Forbes' idea so I would believe him." With that he shrugged and began to walk away when MG's words suddenly struck Alaric.

"Wait, what assistant?" Alaric yelled at him and the student aide answered without turning around.

"Some British guy."

* * *

Klaus slipped on a pair of grey woven lounge pants and sat up in his bed with his legs stretched out as he watched Caroline stand in front of his dresser and adjust her loose white tee. She was using her fingers to try and tame her short curls and he found himself being tempted to run his hands through them and mess it up again.

Caroline caught him eyeing her in the mirror's reflection and shot him a small smile which he promptly returned. He was just glad she seemed so much more at ease now than she was just a while ago.

Klaus may have partially concealed his reaction to Caroline's fears regarding the Merge for her sake but in reality, he was still reeling from it. As soon as she had opened up to him, he knew he would do anything to make sure there's an alternative. After everything they had been through – together and apart – a world without Caroline in it… to him it was inconceivable.

Promises were made and an overwhelmed Caroline had reached out to him for comfort that he was eager to give her. In moments, clothes were flashed off and Caroline had taken over, pushing Klaus flat on to the couch as she covered his body with hers. She rode him with a renewed purpose, both of them in the pursuit of the solace they wanted from each other and before they knew it, they lay spent on the now creaking couch, nothing but an entanglement of limbs. They had eventually shifted back to the bedroom where they continued where they left off and it was only when it began to get dark that Caroline had reminded him that she really did have to leave.

And now here he was, entranced by the way she put her jeans on and the way she detangled her hair.

He hated that he was letting her go when all he wanted to do was take her in his embrace and keep her there. A strange inexplicable sense of cold dread ignited in his body as he watched her pick up her bag and get ready to step out of the room. She walked up to him and planted a quick kiss on his lips.

"There's no need to sulk, Klaus. You know I love you," she said with a laugh at what he knew must be a miserable look on his face. "I'll see you later like we talked about, okay?" She scurried to the door and just as she clicked it open, Klaus called out to her.

"Caroline!"

Her head snapped back at his voice, her chin length hair fluttering about her face as she turned. Klaus wasn't sure what he was doing but he was having the strangest sensations in his body and felt like he needed to tell her what was on his mind. She looked at him expectantly with her eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she waited for him to continue and he exhaled slowly.

"I don't want you to leave," he whispered with raw honesty. Caroline's shoulders dropped.

"Klaus, we talked about this. We are _literally_ living in two different worlds right now. We AGREED we're going to find a way to work around the distance and that we'll wait before we tell people or make any permanent changes to our lives which means… I should be getting home now." She turned around to step out the door again.

"That doesn't mean I'm not going to wonder if you're going to go back to covering our connection with hostility and hating yourself for the truth," he muttered darkly and Caroline halted. She scoffed, shaking her head at him.

"Great, now I can't leave until we have _this_ conversation." She stepped back into the room again and shut the door behind her. Klaus sat unmoving, watching as she dropped her bag to the side and sat across from him on the bed. "What are you talking about?" She asked in a slightly impatient tone, shrugging at him.

"As soon as we put distance between us, you'll remember," he said bitterly and Caroline raised an eyebrow at him. "You'll remember all the horrible things that I've done and question your reasons for being with me. You said it yourself once, how you wished you could forget them but you couldn't." Klaus could feel his vision getting blurry as the now very real possibility of his fears being the truth hit him. Caroline sighed.

"Klaus, that was a LONG time ago… And I understand your worry because your happiness hasn't really lasted in the past…"

"Caroline… as much as you would like to believe I'm a changed man, I'm still the same person. The one who terrorized you and your friends at Mystic Falls. The one who _killed_ people you knew. The one whose cruelty knew no bounds so much that he earned the moniker 'The Great Evil'." He paused briefly before continuing. "There will be times when I do things that others perceive as horrible and you will have doubts."

"Wha – _Everyone_ has doubts, Klaus. It's totally natural," she scoffed before her voice turned gentler. "And I know you don't like to think you've changed much but I told you once before and I'm telling you again, you've come FAR from the person that you used to be."

Klaus simply nodded, shifting his gaze to the floor and Caroline went on.

"And honestly I don't want you to change because despite everything…" She paused to take a breath and reached out to squeeze his hand. "You're the most incredible man I've ever known."

Klaus' eyes snapped up to hers and his lips parted on her words even as she continued.

"You are _always_ going to be the most incredible man I've ever known," she clarified with a tired smile on her face that had him gaping at her. "So unless you're breaking up with me, I'm going home now," she leaned across, planted a light kiss on his lips and stood up to leave again. She began to walk away but he held on to her hand, making her turn around and look at him, her blue eyes slightly exasperated.

Klaus swallowed hard and pursed his lips as he took in the beautiful woman before him. He felt like all the vulnerabilities he had worked so hard to build walls around over the centuries now lay exposed.

And yet, he found himself not caring because his cynical heart, worn-out over the ages from paranoia, was gradually coming to accept that Caroline was someone he could trust them with.

She was his beacon of light; his safe haven.

He gently squeezed her hand and gave her the most heartfelt smile he could muster as he captured her gaze.

"I love you," he said softly, not taking his eyes off hers.

For a few seconds, she simply stared back at him and very slowly her exhausted face broke out into a beaming grin that seemed to light up the entire room.

At that moment in time, Klaus felt like the luckiest man in the world.

* * *

Rebekah wiped a stray drop of blood off the edge of her lips and sucked it off her thumb as she returned to the Mikaelson mansion after an evening of partying in the city. The metallic taste sang on her tongue, still fresh from the very handsome dinner she had fed on while walking back home. Freya had warned her against feeding off the locals but hey, at least she didn't kill him.

_What he doesn't remember won't hurt him._

She reached the gate and was about flash straight to her room when she spotted a figure in white attempting – albeit unsuccessfully – to leave the house without making their presence known. Rebekah instantly recognized Caroline, dressed in the same clothes she had seen her in last night and the fact that the she was trying to be discreet confirmed a few doubts that Rebekah had been having.

Caroline was looking away from her, clearly more anxious about staying out of sight from those inside the house. She didn't even seem to notice Rebekah until she turned around and nearly walked right into her, yelping lightly in surprise.

"Rebekah! I, erm…"

"So… Nik finally let you out, did he?" Rebekah commented with a smug smirk on her face. She wasn't oblivious to the happenings in the house; there was a very good reason she hadn't bothered her favorite brother all day. Caroline squeezed her eyes shut in embarrassment.

"Ugh, okay. Just…" she huffed. "Don't tell anyone yet, okay?" Rebekah continued to maintain her very content grin on her face as she watched Caroline's cheeks turn a soft shade of pink.

"Fine. You should be careful, though." Rebekah walked past Caroline into the house and there was moment's pause before the other blonde responded.

"Since when do you care about my wellbeing?" Caroline frowned, causing Rebekah to stop in her tracks and turn around with a raised eyebrow.

"I wasn't talking about _you_ , Mystic Falls," she clarified with a scowl and that was when realization seemed to dawn upon the younger vampire.

"Klaus…" she breathed out in surprise. Rebekah took a few steps closer to her.

"You know, Elijah once said that, as a mortal, Nik was full of love and wanted to be loved in return," she said, her voice turning gentle as she talked about her brother. "No matter how old he is, I know that boy is still in there. You're the first person outside family that he's cared for in centuries, Caroline. I hope you know what you're getting into."

"If you're asking me to promise never to break his heart you know I can't possibly say that for sure," Caroline said, shaking her head. "And that goes BOTH ways. We're immortals; as much as I lo–" She cleared her throat and Rebekah narrowed her eyes at her. "As much as I care about Klaus, it would be naïve to think that everything is going to be PERFECT all the time."

"That may be so. All I'm saying is…" Rebekah leaned closer to Caroline. "You hurt my brother; you'll have me to deal with." And with that, she flashed away into the house leaving Caroline behind to reflect on her words.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My heart feels warm and cuddly after this, does yours? Ah, maybe it's just my lack of sleep making me think of blankets and pillows.
> 
> This was a TOUGH chapter to write & edit, I hope you guys enjoyed it. Let me know if you did :)
> 
> Just one more chapter before the Holiday break. What could go wrong, right? RIGHT? Guess we'll find you next week, see you then!
> 
> \--
> 
> MUSIC PROMPTS
> 
> \--
> 
> Caroline collapsed face-down onto the bed...
> 
> 'Water Ripples' - Enno Aare  
> \--
> 
> "I think I might have to die to save my children."
> 
> 'Into Dust' - Mazzy Star
> 
> \--
> 
> "...he watched Caroline stand in front of his dresser..."
> 
> 'Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic' - Sleeping At Last
> 
> \--
> 
> "You are always going to be the most incredible man I've ever known."
> 
> 'Be My Mistake' - The 1975


	31. Outside the Bubble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Klaus and Caroline face reality and deal with the consequences. Alaric reaches out to an old friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I'm a day late but hey, I wanted to make sure this update is perfect, being the last one before the break for the Holidays. Another mid-season finale, so to speak. Brace yourself because it is a HUGE one and I hope you guys enjoy it!
> 
> Also, SUPER EXCITING news! KC AWARDS 2020 just put out their nominee list and this story has been NOMINATED in two categories: Best angst multi-chapter AND Best AU supernatural author! This is my first time on the scene so I'm thrilled AF.
> 
> Voting is open till the 31st Dec so if y'all enjoyed my story (well, so far) please vote for 'What Could Have Been' by @tnapki in the aforementioned categories on the @kcawards Tumblr page [through messages or asks]. Or else, visit the page anyway and check out all the other amazing nominees and their stories! Let's spread the KC love <3
> 
> Alright, I made you guys wait long enough already, happy reading! Don't forget to vote!
> 
> Disclaimer: TVD and all associated stuff don't belong to me.

"You're back."

Caroline's eyes shot up from the documents she was going through at her desk to see Alaric had entered her office and was looking at her strangely. Based on what she learnt had unfolded at school while she was 'off the grid', she figured it was safe to assume he was waiting either for an explanation or an apology, if not both.

"Yeah, I was out. My phone was turned off and I came home late last night. I just needed some space."

"Where were you, Care? We needed you yesterday…"

"From what I heard, you all seemed to have managed just fine without me," she interrupted, choosing to ignore Alaric's question about her whereabouts and hoping he wouldn't pursue it for now. She was sure he had already developed his own ideas about where she might have been but she wasn't in the mood to deal with that just yet.

Her daughters had animatedly told her the story about the Inspection Team's surprise visit when she'd met them earlier that morning. Strangely enough, despite all the stress she had been taking over the visit for the past few weeks, she was surprised at how calmly she had processed the news.

It became more evident than ever that the truth about the Merge weighing on her had been the real source of her stress all this while, having gotten so bad that the anxiety had trickled into different aspects of her life. She wished she'd only realized sooner that coming clean to Klaus – or anyone for that matter – would have relieved her of that before it began to take its toll.

She wanted to tell Alaric about it; he deserved to know. _Soon_ , she decided, but right now there was another matter that her daughters had made her aware of that seemed more pressing.

"What I'm more concerned about right now is the fact that a human was _bitten_ on school grounds." She waved her hands out in exasperation as her eyes widened at Alaric. "How did THAT happen? Did you find out who did it?" Alaric didn't look pleased with the shift in topic but his angry expression appeared to simmer slightly at Caroline's look of worry.

"I know who did it," he grumbled, his shoulders drooping.

"What? Who?"

"Yeah, it's not that simple." He shrugged and Caroline's eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

"What do you mean? We have ZERO Tolerance for students drinking human blood." Alaric looked back at her and hesitated.

"It was Miss Fell."

" _WHAT_?"

"Trust me, I want to fire her as much as you do…"

"She's still _here_?"

"Care, you don't understand. I hate to say this but… we need her," Alaric shrugged. "The students are really doing well under her and MG is actually showing improvement –"

"She fed. Off a student. You're telling me she's currently roaming around free to just drink off anyone she wants?" Caroline's eyes were wide as she stood up and walked around her desk to stand in front of Alaric. " _Why_ are we still discussing this?" She asked, waving her arms out.

"Because whether we like it or not, she's actually good at her job," he started, at which Caroline scoffed. "The real issue here is that there's literally no one else like her… and she knows it."

"Oh, she made _that_ pretty clear when she tried to blackmail her way into an interview with Klaus," Caroline muttered, looking away in annoyance at which Alaric eyed her in surprise.

"Wait, what?"

Caroline clicked her tongue. "So… since Hybrids are like this 'rare specimen' in the supernatural world," she began to explain, "Fell wanted a one-on-one with Klaus for her research and she asked for it …" Caroline paused and Alaric raised an eyebrow, "… in return for her silence ever since she saw him on campus that one time he came to pick up Hope from school." Alaric pinched the bridge of his nose and huffed in frustration.

"Well, I told her she can't live on campus now."

"Somehow that doesn't make me feel much better…" Caroline sighed and just then an idea came to her mind. "You know what? Let's set up her interview with Klaus."

"What?"

"Fell keeps talking about how old she is; who knows maybe Klaus can, I don't know, vet her for us or something. In the meantime we can do our own digging, maybe talk to some of the local Fell family members and see if –"

"Since when do we take Klaus' opinion on anything?" Alaric scoffed, halting Caroline's rant of ideas and making her look straight at him.

"Since he recently told me I don't make the most of him being an old vampire with all his worldly knowledge," she stated simply, averting her gaze and moving to go back to her seat at her desk. "Well, he didn't use the term 'old', he doesn't really like –"

"Oh yeah? How recent was that exactly?" Alaric asked, his tone guarded. Caroline stopped in her tracks and spoke slowly without turning.

"Ric, if you have something to say then just say it." She heard him sigh softly.

"I know you were with him yesterday."

Caroline turned around to face Alaric again and frowned.

"What?"

"I know you were in New Orleans. With Klaus."

Caroline sighed; she wasn't entirely sure whether to be surprised or relieved that he knew the truth. Alaric shook his head at her.

"Caroline, you _barely_ got out of a long-term engagement from Cory. Hell, I just found out about it myself. Little did I know that while I was texting you if you were ok you had already jumped into –"

"RIC. STOP!" Caroline cut short his accusation and narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't you dare judge me for this. I have _always_ been the one who obsessed over what other people thought of me and just for _once_ I want to follow through what I want without having to break my heart over what my friends and family think!" Alaric exhaled and lowered his head sheepishly.

"Caroline, I… I'm sorry."

"Yeah, everyone is _always_ sorry but they never mean it, do they? Let me be the first one to tell you." She walked up to him and his eyes snapped up to meet hers. "Yes, it's true that Klaus and I are giving it a shot." Caroline could see the surprise flicker in Alaric's face but was glad he chose not to say anything. "But I would appreciate it if we kept this between us until I find an appropriate time to tell the girls," she requested. Ric's lips pressed together in a line like he was biting back words and he nodded.

"What exactly would the appropriate time be, Care? I don't want this to be another thing that we add to the list of things we are keeping from our girls," Alaric spoke gently like he was trying his best to keep his anger in check and Caroline sighed.

"Klaus and I are immortal so time is a luxury we do have, unlike others. So I don't even want to think about this being something to talk about _until_ we've solved the Merge issue and the curse is gone for good." That seemed to get Ric's attention.

"What about the secret you've been keeping from me?" He asked, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

Caroline could see the very real worry getting more prominent on his face and she swallowed.

She hadn't liked keeping things to herself all this while but opening up to Klaus gave her some clarity on why there was nothing to gain from denying Alaric the truth. Sooner or later, she would have to tell him and this seemed like a better time than any.

"You might want to sit down for this…"

* * *

"I take it your conversation with Alaric didn't go as smooth as expected." Klaus could hazard a guess from the resigned tone in Caroline's voice over the phone.

In the days that followed since her return to Mystic Falls, the two of them had fallen into a comfortable routine of calling each other every day. Yes, Klaus was irked by the fact that real life was preventing them from truly indulging in the honeymoon phase of their relationship but it was something he had begrudgingly accepted.

"He was pretty mad that I kept something like this from him for so long, which I guess is understandable from his point of view," Caroline exhaled deeply. "He's pretty adamant that we find another way."

"As am I," Klaus concurred and let out a dry laugh. "For once it would appear Alaric and I are in agreement." He heard Caroline huff in response. "I meant it, Caroline, when I said that we could find an alternative…"

"I know you did but I really don't see one…"

"You know it doesn't have to be you. It can be anyone who's willing to die –"

"Klaus, are you _seriously_ suggesting we get some stranger to give their life up so that my girls can live?"

"Better them than you!" Klaus shouted, unable to hold back his frustration. He was met with silence on the other end and figured she was waiting for him to calm down. "Caroline, I…"

"At least I'm choosing to warn you before sacrificing myself," she retorted.

"Caroline… this is not a debate!"

"You think I have a CHOICE Klaus?" He heard her voice crack slightly and felt a pang in his chest. "I'm just scared… SO scared…"she breathed. "I don't want to die." Klaus exhaled deeply.

"I don't want you to die," he whispered, feeling a knot in his throat. Caroline hummed in response.

"But I won't be able to live with the knowledge that someone else died for my own selfish reasons, either."

"Sweetheart, I hope you _do_ realize that either way there's no bloody chance I'm letting this happen."

"It's my decision and I've made it."

"And _I_ made a promise," he said solemnly, which made Caroline pause. "I was talking to Freya and she was explaining to me about how the magic that makes up a curse usually exists in a more substantial form somewhere deep in the host's subconscious." That seemed to get Caroline's attention.

"Okay...? What does that mean?"

"It means... that if we can locate the curse in its more corporeal form, so to speak, in your children's minds, we can find a way to contain it and lock it away forever." He waited, hoping to hear Caroline's cry of joy on the phone.

It never came.

"But the magic will still BE there," she debated stubbornly.

"Yes," Klaus huffed impatiently, "but trapped."

"And what if it escapes?"

"It's not a caged animal trying to get out, Caroline. Once it's in there, the magic will keep it there."

"But it's _there_."

"Now you're being unreasonable, sweetheart," he said, annoyance seeping into his voice.

"No, YOU are trying to change a decision I made."

"I'm trying to make sure you don't DIE!" Klaus snapped, his trembling hands almost crushing the phone in his hands.

"Maybe I don't want you to DO anything!" Caroline bit back at him and he paused for a moment.

"What the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?" He growled, trying to keep a steady tone as he let his anger diminish slightly. "Caroline?" He heard her sigh on the other end.

"All this that you're doing…" he heard her dry laugh, "I don't think I can handle false hope."

"So you've just given up? That doesn't sound like the Caroline I know."

"I've just accepted things for what they are. So unless you can come up with a more permanent solution…"

"If you think I'm just going to sit back…"

"Of course I don't expect you to. But in the meantime there _is_ something you can do for me."

"Name it."

"I need you to meet with our supernatural consultant."

"What?" Klaus frowned in surprise; that was not what he was expecting at all. He was also displeased by how she had managed to evade the topic they had been on but decided to humor her all the same… for now.

"I… kind of promised her an interview with you… for her research," she started, hesitation evident in her voice. "But the truth is… I was hoping you can get a read on her or tell me if you like, think she's trustworthy or whatever…"

"What are you on about, Caroline?" Klaus asked, mildly alarmed at her request. "Is something wrong?"

"I don't know, she just… seems a little odd. And she's _really_ old." Klaus could almost hear the teasing smile in her voice. "Don't all you ANCIENT vampires ever hang out or catch up every century or so in a creepy mansion somewhere?"

"Is this you being hilarious just because she has an English accent?"

"No. Maybe. I don't know. Look, she seems to be good at what she does; honestly that's the _only_ reason I'm even giving her a shot… but I feel like there's just… something off about her. Maybe she has some weird history or –"

"I thought she already told Alaric her sob story when she applied for the job."

"Can you just…" She groaned. "Just talk to her for me, okay?" Klaus could hear the plea in her voice.

"Fine. Let her come by with Hope on the weekend and we'll… have a conversation." He heard Caroline's soft sigh of relief.

"Thank you…"

"I'd prefer if you thanked me in person, love," he quipped and she huffed out a laugh. There was a momentary pause before she spoke.

"I know it's only been a few days… but I do miss you, Klaus," her voice came out soft and Klaus could easily picture her face with a subtle smile on her pink lips. He laughed lightly.

"Truth be told, it's slightly difficult to abstain from missing you when Freya keeps bringing you up for no reason whatsoever…"

"Wha – oh my God, Rebekah must have told her. Who _else_ knows?" Klaus chuckled at Caroline's apparent panic. When she had first mentioned bumping into Rebekah the night she returned to Mystic Falls, Klaus had expected a full-fledged inquiry into the matter from his favorite sibling. Surprisingly, his sister had refrained from bringing the topic up with him… so far.

"Don't worry love, Freya has always been that way about you," he assured her. "She's simply suspicious when she sees me in a ridiculously good mood. Truth be told, I can't blame her."

* * *

Alaric tapped his feet restlessly as he waited outside the office he had provided to Arianna for her research and her counseling sessions with the students. Ever since the incident with the human she had been ordered to work with her door ajar at all times and he had gotten into the habit of sticking around at the end of her working hours to make sure she went straight home. It was a little desperate but Alaric couldn't see what else he could do to pacify his anxiety in the situation at the present time.

Alaric nearly jumped as the door pulled open and Hope stepped out. She stared back at him, surprised.

"Dr. Saltzman?" She raised a curious eyebrow but what caught Alaric' attention was something else.

The young Tribrid looked… tired.

"Hope. Are you okay?" Alaric asked slowly. "How did your session go?"

"Oh, it was great actually," Hope assured him. "And don't worry; I'm just a little low on sleep. Remember how I told you I got a little uncomfortable around full moons every now and then? Miss Fell has been trying this new hypnosis-based spell to ease that and it's really helping me rest better."

"Hypnosis spell?" Alaric's eyes widened in alarm and that's when he saw Arianna's face stick out of the door.

"Don't worry, Dr. Saltzman, it's all legal. My assistant may look young but she's a very experienced witch," she said with a smile that now made Alaric's skin crawl. Arianna stepped out with her bag in hand followed by the young girl that she had brought along to work with her. She locked the office door behind her and handed the keys to the assistant who nodded at her and walked away without a word. She then turned to Hope. "Thank you, dear. I'll see you next week?"

"Thanks Miss Fell," Hope nodded at her, sending a glance in Alaric's direction before turning to walk away to the boarding rooms. Alaric's eyes shifted to his side to see Arianna was tilting her head at him.

"Making a habit of escorting me out every day I see? You really know how to make a woman feel special."

"You think I can trust you after what you did?"

"Fair enough but you seem to trust me just fine with the children." Alaric could feel his blood boil in frustration but he didn't respond. "Speaking of children, I need to speak to the mother of yours."

"Caroline? What about?"

"Oh my, someone's paranoid," Arianna drawled and Alaric narrowed his eyes at her. "I just want to give her a gentle reminder for something I'd asked of her a while ago –"

"If this is about interviewing Klaus Mikaelson…"

"So she does remember? Be a dear and tell her I'm still waiting on it and…"

She continued to speak but Alaric was barely listening as he considered Caroline's suggestion; maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to see if Klaus could get anything out of her. Surely it's not possible for vampires to live that long without bumping into or having heard of each other at some point.

 _Oh, what the heck_.

"Actually, about that," Alaric spoke suddenly, interrupting Arianna's rant, "Caroline told me it's been set up. You can join Hope when she goes home this weekend if you want to meet Klaus." He watched carefully as the consultant's eyes twinkled brightly.

"Really? Well, how exciting!" She spoke enthusiastically and this was the most animated Alaric had ever seen her. "Oh dear, that's soon! I need to prepare, I'll be off then!" She started to walk off before turning back once to look at him. "Thank you, Dr. Saltzman," she said with a smile and flashed away before he could react. For a moment he began to weigh whether it was worth keeping a hopefully one-time rule breaker if it meant keeping MG's blood lust in check.

He realized he wasn't going to be at ease until he found out everything about her. He had basic information that she had shared but that seemed like a dead end; which wasn't unusual for an old vampire.

He needed to find living members of the family and confirm her story. He needed to find someone he knew, someone he could trust as a source.

He needed to talk to Dr. Meredith Fell.

* * *

"So where's your boyfriend?" Lizzie asked as she rolled her ankles, standing next to Hope who was sitting on the grass looking grumpy. They were in the middle of doing warm-ups before a practice game of flag football ahead of the match against Mystic Falls High that was coming soon.

"What?" Hope grumbled as she stretched her fingers to touch the tips of her shoes.

"That wolf guy or whatever. Weren't you two hanging out? Everyone's brought friends along to watch…" Hope could hear the distaste in Lizzie's voice and saw her grimace at Penelope, the girl who was supposedly seeing her sister. The witch was sitting in the stands, grinning at Josie who was on the field. Hope sighed.

"He's not my boyfriend. Actually, I don't even know where he is."

"That's weird."

"Don't even get me started. I should probably just take the hint and move on… from something that hadn't even begun." Lizzie frowned thoughtfully and shrugged as she stretched her arms.

"Well, you're the most annoyingly persistent person I know so if _you_ are giving up, he doesn't deserve you," she said simply and jogged off. Hope's jaw dropped slightly in surprise from Lizzie's unexpectedly insightful comment.

"Thanks?" She yelled out after her and shook her head.

* * *

" _The whole world is divided for me into two parts: one is she, and there is all happiness, hope, light; the other is where she is not, and there is dejection and darkness_..."

Klaus' lips slowly stretched into a smile as he sat in his reading chair perusing the very modern copy of Leo Tolstoy's 'War and Peace' that had been gifted to him by Hope to congratulate him on the success of his art fundraiser. She claimed she picked it as a joke to describe his temperament and Klaus found himself amused by his daughter's wry sense of humor. He'd never met Tolstoy on account of being in New Orleans during that time but he was sure even the author would have appreciated the hilarity of it.

Happiness. Hope. Light; it really did seem like everything he needed for the good life he never thought he would have. Happiness, he found in his family and hope for the future in his daughter.

 _As for light, well_ …

Klaus let out a short laugh and shook his head; the number of times that Caroline crept into his thoughts over the duration of a single day was astonishing. Despite his reputation of having one of the best strategic minds around he had vastly underestimated the aftereffects of her completely giving in to him and how difficult it would be to stay away after that.

He had figured that being with her for an entire day would at the very least keep him sated till the next time they got to meet but if anything, the magnetic feeling seemed to have intensified. He saw her everywhere he looked, from his bed and his dresser to the dining table in the atrium and his chiller filled with blood bags. Hell, even his shower reminded him of all the delicious sounds he had gotten out of her in there.

He was coming to realize that his need for her was not just intense and thrilling.

It was also _utterly_ terrifying.

He let out a deep exhale and shut the heavy book in his hands, putting it aside on his desk. It was late and he figured he would put in his two, maybe four, hours of sleep for the night. Nevertheless, he glanced at his phone for the time, an act he was otherwise unaccustomed to doing as a creature who had walked the earth as long as has.

He supposed he could attribute his unusual actions to the strange bout of excitement that gripped him for the morning; Hope was coming home for the weekend and Caroline had informed him that she would be tagging along to escort their school's consultant who wanted to interview him.

Klaus wasn't delusional. He had already resigned to the fact that he most likely wasn't getting personal time with Caroline in the brief duration that she was going to be in town and most definitely not with Hope around if he planned to keep his promise to Caroline of keeping things under wraps.

However he still found himself yearning to simply being in the same room with her, like even that would be enough. He got off his chair, kicked off his shoes and lay down straight on his bed. His fingers were interlocked on his chest as he stared up at the ceiling, deep in thought.

 _This is ridiculous_. He was over a thousand years old and this young vampire had reduced him to the sentimental adolescent he was before he was turned.

Oddly enough, he wasn't too bothered by it. His enemies had been terrorized by him long enough over the centuries to know they should fear him and he supposed as long as that position was in order, he was open to letting his guard down around the select few he cared for.

He turned his head to the side. His gaze fell on the book he had just left on the desk and he sighed.

Happiness. Hope. Light. Dare he hope that he might actually have everything he wants all at once?

Just then there were two sharp raps on the door and he sat up promptly, his wolf senses on high alert. He stood up, light on his feet as he flashed towards the door. Without hesitation, he opened it and his jaw dropped in surprise.

The beautiful blonde he had been dreaming of all day now stood before him looking ravishing as ever in a ruby red zip-front top paired with black slacks. She was leaning against the door jamb and there was a smug look on her face as she seemed take delight in his reaction. Klaus blinked.

"Caroline, it's past midnight. What are you –" He barely got the words out before she flashed inside and shut the door behind her, pressing his back against it as she proceeded to devour his lips. It took Klaus only a second before he was responding to her with equal fervor.

 _Bloody hell, he had missed this_. And it had barely been a week since he last saw her.

Caroline had always been a glorious kisser but this gratifying assault she was inflicting upon him was beyond anything he had experienced with her before. She took the lead and conducted their tongues in an utterly pleasurable symphony that had him seeing actual stars.

She was magnificent.

Their kisses grew more sporadic, neither one wanting to break away for a breath. Almost instinctively, Klaus' hands began to roam. Just as his nimble fingers came in contact with skin under the hem of her top, she stilled and broke apart from his lips, leaving both of them gasping for air they didn't need. She leaned back to look at him while her hands gently brushed through his stubble. A small smile appeared on her beautiful flushed face and she exhaled sharply.

"I've been waiting to do that all week," she rasped, her voice thick with want as she held his face in her palms.

"As have I, sweetheart," Klaus agreed; his voice hoarse as well. He was about to kiss her again when she deftly lifted his shirt over his head and pulled it back, cocooning his arms in the fabric behind him. The smug smirk returned to her face once more as she came closer and she purred into his ear.

"That's good to know, _Niklaus_ …" Klaus let out a very approving growl at her words, his eyes burning gold as he pulled and tore apart the shirt cuffing his arms. He instantly reached out and ripped Caroline's top off her in one swift moment, revealing a VERY lacy, lavender bra beneath. Her face instantly turned to one of annoyance, which Klaus thought was an amusing sight in her current attire.

"Klaus! I loved that shirt! You know, I was SURE you were going to do something like this and that is _exactly_ why I chose to wear a top with a zip in the front…"

She continued to scold him but he was too entranced by the beautiful way her breasts were being framed by her lingerie to be affected by her chiding him. He roughly pulled her close, waving off her complaints.

"I'll buy you a thousand more, love," he said, kissing her again and putting an instant stop to her spiel. He spun them around, switching positions so that she was now the one against the door. He resumed his exploration of her jaw and neck and teased a particular spot behind her ear that never failed to make her gasp every time. Klaus let out another low growl and felt his groin tighten in response to her husky affirmations.

He dropped open-mouthed kisses along her neck at a leisurely pace and her breathing turned erratic as he used his human teeth to slowly drag her bra-strap off her shoulder, leaving a trail of goosebumps along the way. Caroline giggled; evidently his stubble was tickling her sensitive skin and the thought of that strangely brought a smile to Klaus' face. Resisting the urge to tear the bra straps off her with his fangs because he wanted to enjoy the sight of her in it just a little longer, Klaus lifted his head and paused to look at her.

But she had other plans. Before he could take a moment to admire her visage, Caroline had immediately latched on to his lips, her actions now feeling more insistent and urgent. Klaus complied eagerly and in the one second that they broke apart, Caroline had smoothly vamp sped out of her pants, leaving her bare but for her matching set of lavender underwear. Klaus took a dazed step back and stared in pure awe, temporarily losing touch with his senses as he drank in the image of her.

She was leaning against the door with her palms resting against it. Her ankles were crossed and her head tilted slightly as her parted lips looked inviting as ever.

"So…" Caroline breathed out, "I'm guessing you like what you see…"

"Always," he murmured, noting how she flicked her tongue across her upper lip. He instantly dropped the idea of leaving her with clothes on any longer and went back up to her. She immediately grabbed onto his necklaces and pulled him into another demanding kiss.

Klaus slid his tongue along hers and could feel her soft hands slide up from his shoulder and find their way into his hair. He immensely enjoyed the sensation of them brushing across his scalp and groaned against her mouth. He felt her fingers slowly close to get a firmer grip on his curls and to his surprise, she tugged his head back and broke their kiss, proceeding immediately to launch an attack on his neck with her tongue.

Klaus exhaled sharply at her movements and was just starting to lean into the feel of her soft lips on his neck when all of a sudden, she bit him HARD with her human teeth. He hissed out her name like a curse and reacted by grabbing her ass and lifting her legs up to lock around his waist. He pressed her against the door and squeezed the supple flesh of her thighs just as she took one hand off his shoulder to unzip and free himself of his pants.

Stealing a quick kiss before he went any further, Klaus dropped his hand between them into the now damp fabric of her panties and clamped his hand over her mound causing her body to shudder. He then tugged the lacy material aside and pushed into her, eliciting a high-pitched yelp out of Caroline that only made him want that much more of her. He pulled back out and slammed himself into her warm folds again, growling as she lifted her hips with each thrust for better reach.

The door rumbled as he continued to ram into her and Klaus idly wondered about the others in the quiet house being privy to the noise only to remember he didn't care. The only thing that mattered right now was annihilating the pent-up tension between him and the beautiful vampire in his arms as they ground themselves against each other to find their mutual release. It was only when Caroline clung unraveled on his shoulders with his name fresh on her lips that the silence rang loud around them.

In the absence of the door's pounding and the slapping of skin against skin, all that remained now were the sounds of the spent couple's ragged breaths. At this point, Klaus was sure the only reason he had managed to remain standing through all of that was his Hybrid strength. Caroline's face was nuzzled into his neck and he felt her slowly raise her head to whisper into his ear.

"Klaus… Bed. _Now_."

He complied, not needing to be told twice.

* * *

"Hey, Hope."

The Tribrid looked up from her backpack into which she was putting study material away for the weekend to see Josie standing at the entrance to her room.

"Hey," she said, zipping her bag up. "What are you doing up so late?" Josie shrugged and walked in, coming to stand across Hope by her bed.

"I couldn't sleep," she said simply. "I heard you and the Miss Fell are headed to New Orleans early tomorrow morning. Aren't you the one who should be asleep?"

"I was just about to go to bed actually," Hope said, gesturing at her bag.

"Oh," Josie smiled apologetically, "Yeah, okay then. I'll get going…" She moved to step out of the room when Hope suddenly spoke up.

"Are you okay, Josie?" she asked. "Was there something you wanted…" Josie stopped in her tracks and turned back around to face Hope again.

"Not really," she admitted with a shake of her head, "But since I'm here…" She hesitated slightly. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," Hope said, putting her bag aside. Josie paused for a moment while Hope looked on expectantly.

"Do you think…" the Saltzman twin began, "Do you think it's wrong to expect the best out of someone even if you suspect they are bad?" Hope frowned.

"I don't… why would you ask me –"

"Lizzie was saying something about you giving up on that Jake guy" – Hope opened her mouth to protest but changed her mind halfway to let Josie continue – "… and I was… going through something similar with… someone. I just thought maybe I'd get some clarity on how to deal with it." Hope shook her head sadly.

"I don't know anymore, honestly," Hope sighed. "I thought I did, but I guess it all comes down to taking a leap of faith."

"Huh." Josie smiled and simply nodded, turning away to walk back out of the room. "Goodnight, Hope."

"Goodnight, Josie."

* * *

The room in the Mikaelson house was mostly quiet; the time was the perfect balance between being too late in the night and too early in the day for any city noises to add onto the ambience. The only notable sounds that stood out against the stark stillness were the light rhythmic scrapings of wood against the room's hard floor that was now littered with pieces of garments that had long since been abandoned by their wearers. The sky gradually began to shift from its twilight shade of deep purple towards lighter hues but went unnoticed by the couple who were completely enraptured in each other's company as they moved in unison to push each other to their points of ultimate bliss.

"Klaus?" Caroline's voice came out as a breathy whisper. Klaus was still on top of her, his face resting comfortably in the crook of her neck and lightly nibbling her shoulder as he continued to gently move above her, prolonging her pleasure as he gradually pulled himself out.

"Yes, love?"

"It's morning."

He stopped abruptly, lifting his head to look at her. He could see the glow from the early morning light reflect off her damp skin. They stared at each other and smiles spread across their faces when the room slowly began to brighten and rays drifted in through the veiled windows. Caroline shook her head, huffing out a laugh in disbelief.

"Did we… did we go on _all_ night?" Her eyes went wide in shock and she burst into laughter like she'd only just come to the realization while Klaus beamed at her.

"There are _some_ benefits to having the strength and stamina of a vampire, sweetheart," he said simply, prompting her to laugh some more.

"Careful, Klaus, we wouldn't want you getting bored of me," she responded with a cheeky grin.

"Are you saying there's a chance you'd eventually bore yourself of me, Caroline?" He asked curiously and she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Well… I _did_ say the chase is the best part," she teased, shrugging. "So unless you can prove otherwise…" By this time Klaus had a mischievous grin on his face and his eyes were flashing at her.

"You do know how much I love a challenge," he said simply and pounced on her, making her squeal in surprise.

* * *

"Hello?"

There was silence on the other end and Alaric began to second-guess whether he had located the right number.

"Who is this?" Meredith's familiar voice came through and he sighed in relief.

"This is going to sound unbelievable but," Alaric started, suddenly realizing he had no idea how to start the conversation. "It's…Alaric… Alaric Saltzman."

Still more silence. "Seriously who is this? If this is some kind of sick joke…"

"Meredith it's me, Ric." There was another long pause before she spoke again.

"Ric, you – …you're…alive?" Alaric sighed.

"It's a very long and exhausting story."

"But it's been years. Wha– _How_ is this possible?" she asked before scoffing. "Never mind don't answer that. I'm guessing there are supernatural forces at play here and you were in the middle of it."

"Something like that," he said sheepishly.

Wow… I can't…wow," Alaric could imagine the look of surprise on her face and wondered if she looked the same even after all these years. "How have you been?"

"Good. I'm the father of twins and I run a school for supernaturally gifted children with Caroline in Mystic Falls."

"Still in that small town, huh?"

"Yeah, well, you know as well as I do that this town is a bit of a hub on the paranormal front so it only made sense. How's Alaska?"

"Cold. I love it. My husband and I run a clinic here. Life's good."

"That's…great." He hesitated and Meredith cleared her throat.

"So…are you going to tell me the real reason you reached out? Because I doubt you decided to tell me that you're alive just to catch up." He sighed.

"Yeah…" Alaric paused a moment before he spoke. "I need some information about someone… from the Fell family."

* * *

"We really should look into enforcing the no-phone rule on a permanent basis when we are spending time together, sweetheart," Klaus grumbled from inside the shower while Caroline stepped out, wrapping her bathrobe tighter and using her free hand to quickly towel-dry her hair.

"Fat chance," she huffed, rolling her eyes. "That was SO a one-time thing," she asserted, not having completely let him off the hook for the events that had unfolded the last time he had made the same suggestion. She picked up her phone off his dresser and saw she had missed two calls from Alaric.

 _Crap_. She needed to call him back, but she needed to get ready first. Hope and Arianna would be there soon and she did NOT want to have to explain being in the Big Bad Wolf's bedroom in a bathrobe.

She immediately flashed into a white shirt with a matching set of pastel green ankle-length pants and blazer. She figured it was semi-formal enough for the situation and bent over to pull her dark teal pumps on.

"I'm hoping everything else from that day wasn't a one-time thing."

Caroline's gaze snapped away from the mirror on hearing Klaus' voice and she exhaled sharply at the sight before her.

Klaus stood there leaning against the bathroom entrance with his arms crossed in front of him with nothing on but his dimples from the smirk he was giving her and a towel that hung dangerously low on his hips. The delicate curls framing his face were darker now and there was a polished sheen across his lean chest from the hot water mist.

Klaus Mikaelson had simply stepped out of the shower and looked so good it hurt. Caroline unconsciously flicked her tongue across her upper lip and turned back to the mirror, clearing her throat.

"Put on some clothes. Your daughter will be here soon," she stated as she touched up her lipstick. She gasped as she felt Klaus flash right behind her and the mild musk of soap from his steamy skin overwhelmed her, matching her own scent. Her lips parted lightly and she watched in the mirror's reflection as he gently snaked his arms around her waist. He dipped his nose into her neck, taking a deep breath before purring into her ear.

"So _demanding_ , love. Am I distracting you? How the tables have turned." Caroline huffed out a laugh and lightly shoved him off, turning around to face him. His hands instantly shifted to firmly settle on two sides of her, effectively enclosing her very snugly in between him and the dresser.

"Klaus… you're dripping water on me. I just dried off!"

"It's only water."

"I can't have your daughter thinking that we SHOWERED together!"

"My little girl is NOT going to think that."

"Which one of us was a teenage girl once, hmm? Not to mention, yours has heightened senses!" She was trying to chide him but Klaus' smile only seemed to be getting wider at her irritation. His smirk remained set on his face and Caroline could already feel her body respond to him; she was suddenly more conscious of his close proximity and the feel of the dresser pressing into her back. He bent down to kiss her beneath her jaw and she instinctively leaned back to give him better access, her eyelids fluttering closed in response to his lips.

"Klaus… I'm serious…" she breathed, her hand inadvertently gripping the edge of the towel wrapped around him for support.

"And I'm _very_ serious about you, Caroline."

"I need…" she swallowed as Klaus' lips trailed further down to her collar bone. "I need to call Ric." Klaus was just starting to pull aside the collar of her shirt when he stilled in his movements. He leaned back to look at her.

"Please tell me you weren't thinking about Alaric while I was kissing you," he pouted, his hands now tucked under her blazer and drawing slow circles over the shirt fabric that was taut across her waist. Caroline couldn't help laughing at the look of utter exasperation on his face and reached out for her phone that she had abandoned on the dresser.

"In case you'd forgotten, Ric and I are partners running a school together," she said matter-of-factly but she didn't miss the flicker in Klaus' eyes on her usage of the term 'partner'. "I can't make a habit of ignoring his calls. It could be important." She shifted her gaze to the screen and frowned. "Oh, he left a message." She paused to read what he had written and gasped. Klaus' hold on her tightened.

"What?" He asked her and Caroline's eyes snapped up to his, filled with worry. "What is it, Caroline?"

"Ric reached out to a member of the Fell family; Dr. Meredith Fell. We wanted to do a more detailed background check on Arianna Fell ever since…you know, the incident," she explained.

"I'm well aware."

"He asked her about Arianna and…" she frowned, "She said she's never heard of her." Klaus' eyebrows furrowed.

"Is it possible there are Fell family members who don't know about her since she has been away for long? Or that she was erased from the family history for having turned? That practice wasn't so uncommon back then." She sighed in his arms.

"I don't know… I'm just a little worried. Hope is with her right now…" She bit her lower lip and saw the flash of parental concern in Klaus' eyes. He took a deep breath and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"I highly doubt she'll do anything untowardly right now. She doesn't know what we know about her yet."

"That's just it. Right now, I'm not sure we know anything about her!"

"They'll be here soon enough, love. We'll ask her ourselves." Caroline nodded at him.

"Yeah…" she murmured with an uneasy smile.

An hour later they were seated at the table in the atrium which had been laid out with a breakfast spread. Klaus was sitting, restlessly awaiting the arrival of his daughter while Caroline stood next to him sipping on her coffee.

"Doesn't the rest of your family ever join you for breakfast, Klaus?" She asked, clutching her mug and looking around curiously.

"They're… around. I might have advised them to make themselves scarce this morning since we have such an _important_ meeting scheduled." Caroline raised an eyebrow.

"Wow, Klaus. That's so… _professional_ of you," she said with a coy smile. "See? You got things done and didn't even have to kill or torture anyone for it." He tilted his head at her and responded with a smirk that she found herself unable to tear her eyes away from. For a moment they simply stared at each other, oblivious to the charged tension building up in the air around them.

"Dad?"

Klaus' gaze instantly snapped out of the trance and Caroline reflexively jumped away from him, strangely feeling like a deer in the headlights even though they hadn't been caught doing anything. She watched Klaus stand up and saw Hope run into his arms for a hug. Klaus patted the top of her head and kissed her hair, a sight that for some reason warmed Caroline's undead heart.

It was when they broke apart that Hope seemed to notice Caroline was there.

"Miss Fo – erm, Caroline. You're here already?"

"Actually I had some work here so I drove into town last night," Caroline said with a smile. "Your father suggested we all do breakfast together so I got here from the hotel a little early." She looked behind Hope. "Where's Miss Fell? Didn't she come with you?"

"Oh, I had to invite her in. She's right behind me," she explained and just then Caroline saw their consultant walk in.

Dressed sharply as she always was, wearing a dark bottle green dress that brought out the fieriness of her red curls, Arianna Fell walked into the room like she owned it. Caroline supposed it was a thing that much older vampires did; after a while it only seemed natural that one would feel like everything was theirs to do what they wished with.

"Good morning," Caroline greeted, trying to keep her tone steady in light of the information that Alaric had given her about the vampire. Arianna nodded at her but clearly only seemed to be interested in Klaus, the way her eyes were now trained on him.

 _Wow, someone's a fan_. Caroline cleared her throat.

"Klaus… I'd like you to meet our supernatural consultant, Arianna Fell." She gestured towards Arianna but was met with silence. She frowned and turned to look at him.

"Klaus, what –"

"Caroline… that's not Arianna Fell."

"What?" She asked, confused and slightly alarmed at the way his eyes were now wide in horror. She instantly shifted her gaze towards Arianna and felt a sense of dread build within as she watched the well-dressed woman's face break into an eerie smile that was aimed towards Klaus.

A smile that indicated _familiarity_.

"Hello, Niklaus."

Klaus exhaled sharply before a single word came out.

"Aurora."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DUN DUN DUNNN. Maybe now would be a good time to go back and READ things again for your theories :P
> 
> While you guys digest that, I just wanted to remind everyone this is the last break after before the final set of chapters and the end of the story. I just want to thank everyone for sticking around so far, y'all have been AMAZING.
> 
> I want send some special love to those who brought up the point that I mentioned once about this probably being the only story I will ever write after which I might disappear - thank you for showing your support either way, whether I decide to write again or not :) If I was as brilliant as those writers who can churn out great stories on a regular basis I would!
> 
> Anyway, have a great Holiday Season everyone! 'What Could Have Been' will return in a month - oh wait, I just realised that's around my birthday. Guess the update will be my birthday gift to y'all haha. Stay safe, stay healthy everyone. Cheers.
> 
> DON'T FORGET TO VOTE! And as always, reviews are welcome :)
> 
> \--
> 
> MUSIC PROMPTS  
> ~.~
> 
> "Caroline, it's past midnight."  
> 'Love Bug Blues' - Charles Bradley, Menahan Street Band  
> \--  
> "It's morning."  
> 'Good Morning' - Norah Jones  
> 'A Gentle Awakening' - JD McPherson  
> \--  
> "I'm hoping everything else from that day wasn't a one-time thing."  
> 'Like U' - Appleby


	32. Surprise, Surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Mikaelsons deal with the aftermath from the latest turn of events.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're back from the Holiday break after a month as promised! This update would have come up a few hours earlier but I was having server issues UGH. But here we are! Welcome to the LAST set of chapters - the beginning of the end to this story.
> 
> As always, I want to start by thanking everyone for sticking around and special love to the ones who reached out to check up on me for updates (y'all know who you are 3 ) I'm sure after the cliffhanger I left this story with, many are going to want to skip the notes but I have to say it :D
> 
> Many of you may already know, but this story won the KC AWARD 2020 for BEST ANGST MULTI-CHAPTER and I'm so thrilled! Honestly I'm still reeling from the news and I'm extremely grateful for the love this story has received from you lovely readers.
> 
> Speaking of Angst, just a heads-up there will be a bunch of it in this chapter. This update is just slightly longer than my usual ones but has some important information and key conversations along with some emotion-heavy scenes (at least that's how it felt for me while writing, I hope you guys enjoy it too).
> 
> In other news, my Birthday lasted all weekend and thank you to everyone who sent across their wishes! Special hugs to misssophiachase for that Birthday Gift drabble (Chapter 27: You Make My Heart Smile of the 'Klaroline Storybook' drabble series) that felt like it was tailor-made for me! Check it out today!
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own TVD. I do own a TV though. Okay, Imma shut up now.

"Aurora."

Klaus didn't wait to explain things to Caroline or Hope. As soon as Aurora's name came out of his mouth, the first instinct he had was to protect his loved ones at all costs. In the blink of an eye he had flashed across the room and pinned the Salvatore School's so-called supernatural consultant to the wall, holding her in place by her throat.

"DAD!"

"Klaus!"

He heard the two women behind him voice their indignation but paid them no mind. He hadn't been completely certain but now as he saw the hauntingly beautiful redhead up close and squeezed his fingers over her windpipe, there was no doubt.

This was indeed Aurora de Martel, the woman he once loved a very long time ago.

Her hair was different from when he last saw her but it would appear she had simply let it grow out naturally. It reminded him of the time when he had first laid eyes on her all those centuries ago at the Count de Martel's castle when her rust-colored cascade of curls had been something he had taken to getting himself lost in. He was broken out of his reminiscing by the choking sound that escaped her lips.

"Well, Niklaus. Is this any way to treat a guest?" Her voice was grating at him and he began to get more impatient.

"Just because you tricked my daughter into inviting you into my home, it doesn't make you a guest." He growled, constricting his hold on her throat. "How are you even here? You're supposed to be asleep in my basement." An eerie smile broke out on her attractive face.

"I suppose… when there's a will, there's a way," she said slowly, enunciating every word and all of a sudden, her eyes glowed electric blue.

Klaus froze.

 _That's impossible_.

"Klaus, what's going on? Let her go!" Caroline's voice cut through his shock.

"Dad, what are you doing?" Hope had also come up next to him and he stiffened in anger.

"Caroline…" he growled slowly under his breath, "Get Hope out of here and stay out of sight."

"But what –"

"NOW!" He snarled, feeling his eyes burn golden as he ordered Caroline to leave. She stared at him for a second before turning to his daughter.

"Come on, Hope," she urged and flashed her away. Klaus then turned his attention back to the vampire currently at the mercy of his grip. Aurora smiled at him.

"What do you plan to do Niklaus?" She coughed out the words and Klaus scowled at her.

"REBEKAH!" He yelled out and in moments he had his sister flanking him, looking at their guest in horror and surprise.

"What the bloody hell is this bitch doing here Nik?"

"It's the Hollow," Klaus grumbled. "It would appear the magic that we thought had been disposed of, brought her back to life." He squeezed her throat tighter in frustration and Aurora choked.

"Niklaus, you know you can't kill me."

"Pray enlighten me. Why is that exactly?"

"If that were the case," she coughed, "I'd be dead already." Klaus let out a dry, humorless laugh and sneered at her.

"DON'T test me when I'm _this_ close to tearing your head off." He flashed her a menacing smile revealing his set of double fangs and felt her throat swell as she swallowed. There had been flicker of fear in her eyes but it was instantly replaced by a look of defiance as she spoke again.

"You didn't kill me for that blonde human. What was her name again, Camille?" Aurora tilted her head slightly in mock doubt and Klaus roared at her, his golden eyes flashing in anger.

"You don't get to say her name," he growled, tightening his hold on her throat and leaning closer. "What are you up to, Aurora?" She winced slightly before replying.

"If your plan is simply to torture me into giving you answers, you disappoint me." The smile on her face was unnerving and her eyes turned electric blue again.

Just then, in an unexpected show of strength, she wrenched Klaus' hands off her, the magically enhanced force of it causing Klaus body to be flung across the room. Aurora tore away from him, only to be stopped by Rebekah who had flashed in front of her.

"Going somewhere?"

Aurora hissed and whipped her feet across Rebekah's face, taking the blonde Original completely by surprise. Before Rebekah could respond, Aurora had vamp-sped away and out of the Abattoir. Klaus had leapt to his feet by then and trailed her out of the entrance onto the street followed closely by Rebekah but they were too late; Aurora had already disappeared into the hustle-bustle of the city. Unable to believe she had gotten away, Klaus roared in frustration, uncaring that some of the tourists passing by turned to stare at him. Rebekah glanced at her brother and clicked her tongue.

"What just happened, Nik?"

* * *

Hope held on and followed as Caroline flashed her upstairs. The Tribrid then led her Headmistress into her room and shut the door behind her. Caroline frowned at her.

"This is your room?" She questioned but Hope couldn't make out if it was out of general interest or a concern in terms of safety.

"Yeah," she replied with a shrug. "I thought we could wait here since there are already quite a few protection spells in place so …"

"Yeah, yeah, it makes sense," Caroline agreed, throwing a quick glance around before turning back to her. "Hope…" she started slowly. "Do you know what your father meant when he said that's not Arianna Fell? And who is Aurora?" Hope blinked.

"She's…" she started, hesitating as she tried to process what she knew. "I read about her in Dad's memoirs. She and these two other guys were like, the first people that my family turned." Caroline scoffed in surprise.

"Wow… I guess she wasn't kidding around when she said she's _really_ old." Hope watched as Caroline slowly walked back and forth across the room, running her fingers through her hair. "Also," she suddenly halted her pacing and looked straight at Hope. "What exactly was your Dad talking about when he made that crack about Aurora being asleep in the _basement_? Please tell me he wasn't being serious."

Hope looked back at her headmistress with an awkward smile and shrugged.

"To make a VERY long story short, Aurora's body was _kinda_ put under a sleeping spell and stashed away down there…"

"She– _What_?"

"Trust me, that's a step up from being left in the parlor like she was part of the décor. I never really _looked_ at it or anything but…"

"Oh my – urgh, I don't even want to know," Caroline shook her head, pinching the bridge of her nose. "How is it that she's suddenly awake?"

Hope didn't answer immediately. She felt this cold feeling of dread wash over her as she slowly realized that it may have something to do with hearing voices that night in the basement – the same room that Aurora was being kept in.

 _Was it even possible_ …?

"I'm not sure," was all she finally said, shaking her head and sitting down at her bed. Caroline sighed.

"This is crazy. I can't believe I'm asking this but… why didn't Klaus just kill her if she was a threat? Why was he keeping her in storage like with the Mikaelson coffins all those years?"

"Well," Hope started with a shrug, "Based on what I read in his memoirs, Aurora was really important to him." She paused as Caroline's eyes shifted to hers in curiosity. "They were in love, I think."

Caroline stared at her, her jaw dropping lightly before she cleared her throat and looked away.

"I see," she said simply. "Guess there's nothing much to do but wait here then." Hope then watched as Caroline began to slowly walk around, suddenly seeming to have taken a keen interest in checking out the room. The shift in behavior was so abrupt, Hope wondered if it had something to did with what she had just told Caroline.

 _Why would Ms. Forbes be so affected by Aurora's history anyway? Was she simply feeling guilty for having let a dangerous person into the school and for putting her students in danger?_ Whatever it was, Caroline seemed intent on avoiding any kind of eye-contact with Hope at this point.

They stayed in silence for a while and Hope idly wondered what was going on downstairs with Aurora.

"Hope, did you do this?"

Hope briefly looked up to see Caroline was now standing in front of the family portrait she had finished painting recently. Caroline glanced back at her once before turning back to the canvas and Hope smiled.

"Yeah, I guess the love for art is something I like to think I have in common with my Dad," Hope said and Caroline huffed out a laugh.

"You're a lot more like your father thank you think, Hope," Caroline commented and Hope raised an eyebrow at the curious smile on her Headmistress' face. "And don't worry, I mean that in the best way. Despite what people think about him, your father's someone I've known for a while and I do care about him." She continued to study the painting and Hope narrowed her eyes.

"About that, how _much_ exactly do you care?" Hope asked and her question had Caroline's face snapping to hers with wide eyes.

"What?" Caroline started when there was a banging sound as the door swung open and Klaus stormed into the room. He spotted Hope and swooped in to hug her.

"Sweetheart… are you alright?" Klaus stroked her hair and she nodded.

"Yeah, Dad. I'm fine," she replied into his shoulder just as Rebekah walked in as well.

"Nik, we need to find her."

"Can someone explain to me what the hell is going on?" Caroline asked, gesturing at the Mikaelsons to answer her. Klaus scowled, letting go of his daughter and walking straight up to Caroline.

"What did you do?" He ground out and Hope frowned at her father's accusatory question.

"Dad, I don't think –"

"What are you talking about, Klaus?" Caroline bit back and they continued as if they hadn't heard her. Klaus walked closer to Caroline and Hope could see them engage in a staring contest where neither one was backing down.

"You are my daughter's educator, Caroline," Klaus spoke softly with a clenched jaw. Hope recognized him as being on the verge of a temper outburst. "What kind of a school employs people without a thorough background check?"

"Klaus, who the HELL was she?" Caroline insisted, seeming to have decided to ignore his jab at her hiring skills. Hope watched as that question appeared to make her father falter slightly.

"That's irrelevant right now," Klaus muttered.

"You can say it, Nik. She's your former lover," Rebekah broke in and Caroline's lips curled in annoyance.

"Well, at least that explains why she was so into you since the beginning," Caroline commented, crossing her arms in front of her.

"YOU need to be more vigilant with your hiring, sweetheart," Klaus snarled.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize I need to keep a look out for your what, BAJILLION ex-girlfriends who could possibly be lurking just around the corner ready to take revenge on you!" Caroline snapped back at him.

"She's not _just_ any ex-girlfriend!"

"Nice to see that's your takeaway from everything I said." Caroline shook her head and moved to walk to the door. "I need to get out of here." Klaus immediately flashed in front of her, blocking her exit from the room.

"Where the bloody hell do you think you're going?"

"Back to my –" Caroline began to speak when her eyes suddenly flicked to Hope for a second before returning to Klaus. "Back to my _hotel_. Unless you have a problem with that and in which case, I DON'T care. I'm still going."

"Aurora is out there and she could seriously hurt you!" Klaus yelled in frustration. "She's stronger than you think."

"Why would she even _care_? What, because I fall in the Mikaelsons' friends-and-family category now? I knew the risks of that walking in."

"NO! It's because –" This time it was Klaus who threw a quick glance at his daughter and groaned. Hope was starting to wonder what that was all about when she saw her Aunt Rebekah rolling her eyes at them.

"Oh, for heaven's sake…" she muttered and Hope stood up from her bed, walking towards Caroline.

"Okay, I don't what's going on with you two," Hope stated, pointing towards her father and her Headmistress at which the two of them immediately shifted to look at her. "But whatever it is, can you guys just… NOT. Ms. Forbes, please stay," she implored, the formal address slipping out unconsciously. For a moment they just stared at her and then Caroline sighed.

"I can take care of myself, Hope," she assured her and turned to look at Klaus. "I just need some air because SOMEONE decided to accuse me of not doing my job right and didn't see the need to apologize for it."

"This is pointless," Klaus grumbled, averting his gaze from her.

"Yes, I can see that." Caroline started to move again but Rebekah then came to stand next to Klaus.

"I hate to agree with my brother Caroline but Klaus is right. It could be dangerous," Caroline was slightly unnerved by what she thought was actual concern from the blonde Original for her. Klaus took another step closer.

"I can't let you just leave when I know she's out there!" Caroline narrowed her eyes and leaned in towards Klaus.

"Watch me." And with that, Caroline vamp-sped out of the room and to Hope's surprise, neither her father nor her Aunt Bekah moved to stop her.

* * *

Caroline was fuming as she gripped the steering wheel of her car and drove away from the Abattoir. She hadn't decided where she was going yet; all she knew was that she needed to get away from the Mikaelson drama and take a breath. She wasn't even sure why she was acting this way; drama was something that always followed that family and it was nothing she couldn't handle, considering the amount of experience she had from her own life back in Mystic Falls.

She hissed in annoyed as she took another turn on the road. Maybe she was just angry at herself for letting this happen and taking it out on Klaus, though he didn't have to accuse her either. Maybe she was frustrated that something like this had happened right under her nose and gone undetected.

Maybe it had something to do with the fact that Klaus' very old and powerful ex-lover had come back to life. She scoffed.

 _What is this, high school_? Jealousy was something she had left behind with human Caroline and saw no point in entertaining anymore.

 _Who cares if Klaus has known Aurora for many centuries and that she was pretty with her red hair and_ –

She groaned; maybe she could indulge in a just a little pettiness. Her relationship with Klaus was still in its honeymoon phase; surely it was understandable that she was feeling a little possessive.

The car came to a still and that's when she realized where she had arrived. The familiar sign with 'Rousseau's' written in its trademark script practically called out to her and she shut off the car.

"Looks like I need a drink," she said to herself, grabbing her phone and stepping out of her vehicle.

* * *

Hope sat quietly on her bed and watched the discussion between her father and her aunt Freya unfold. Aunt Rebekah had stepped out for something and strangely enough the two adults didn't seem to be bothered by the fact that she was still in the room privy to what sounded like a conversation they would rather keep from her. But she couldn't complain; she did throw a tantrum about being included earlier after all.

She jumped slightly as her father raised his voice again at his sister. It wasn't anger; it felt more to her like frustration, which somewhat made sense considering the strange way that things had been left before Caroline stormed out.

That was a _whole_ other thing she had questions about but she supposed that would have to be tucked away for later.

"Brother, you can't seriously be blaming Caroline for this!"

"I'm not! I just…I need to know HOW this happened…"

"You should apologize to her."

"Yeah, you really should, Nik." Three heads turned to see Rebekah standing at the door with the curse box in her hand. "I just checked the basement. And this box? It's empty," Rebekah tossed it to the side where it fell open.

Hope noted that she couldn't hear any whispers or feel the presence of the Hollow magic and felt a slightly alarmed thinking about what that might mean. She turned to slowly look at her father, who was now clenching his fists in anger.

"You're right, Rebekah," he growled out. "It's that boy Declan I should be killing for lending us a faulty magical item."

"NO!"

Klaus, Rebekah and Freya stilled in their actions to turn towards Hope who had been silent all this while and she swallowed.

"I think…" she started, clearing her throat as she watched her family look at her questioningly, "I think the box did work… for a while at least." Klaus raised an eyebrow and slowly took a step closer to her.

"Hope," he said in a scarily soft voice, "Is there something you would like to tell us?" He looked straight into Hope's eyes while he spoke and she fumbled slightly.

"That night after we had gotten the Hollow out of dad and put it away, I heard voices…"

"You _what_?" Hope watched her father take a deep breath like he was trying hard not to lose his temper.

"I honestly thought I was dreaming but my friend Jake came along and he heard it too…"

"The wolf boy?" Freya asked with a raised eyebrow and Hope nodded at her.

"I thought it was just the Hollow being as powerful as it is but in hind sight," she paused and swallowed before continuing, "… it might have been a sign that the magic was breaking out of the box…"

"And my dear, you chose to tell us about this NOW?" Klaus questioned, letting out a dry laugh in disbelief.

"Nik…" Rebekah said slowly, sensing Klaus' temper on the verge.

"I didn't think…"

"Bloody hell, Hope! Do you not realize how much danger this puts everyone in? How much danger this puts YOU in?"

Hope didn't respond. Rebekah sighed and Freya stepped closer to Klaus.

"It makes sense," she said, nodding towards her brother. "The Hollow magic must have escaped and latched itself to the first accepting host it could find… and Aurora's body just happened to be in the basement." Klaus' eyes widened as realization hit him and he shook his head.

"I'm never going to stop paying for letting her live." Hope heard her father mutter to himself before he turned back to her again. "Why didn't you tell us about this, Hope?"

"I didn't hear the voices again after that so I thought –" Hope groaned, realizing then that it was probably because the magic had escaped and gotten into Aurora's body already by then. She could see her father looking like he's about to explode when her aunt Rebekah stepped forward and put an arm on his shoulder.

"Nik, what's done is done. We need to focus on finding Aurora –"

"No, Rebekah, we need to find out exactly how this happened so we know what we're up against –"

"I'm sorry, okay!" Hope blurted out, a tear escaping her eye as she saw the raging of emotions in her father's eyes. "I'm so sorry, Dad!" And before Klaus could respond, she ran out of her room.

* * *

Caroline sat in the relatively quiet bar with the phone to her ear as she waited for Alaric to take in everything that she had just informed him; whatever she knew anyway. She was only now starting to regret having stormed out of the Mikaelsons' home without learning the whole story. She heard Alaric curse under his breath.

"So… you're telling me that the vampire we've been letting counsel and interact with our students is actually a vampire so old she is one of the first people that the Originals ever turned?"

"Yup," Caroline said, popping her 'p' as she took another sip of her drink.

"And she and Klaus have history?"

"Apparently they were in love and everything," she muttered, her voice coming out unintentionally bitter as she fidgeted with the stirrer in her glass.

"So, she was under a sleeping spell and now she's come back to life. How and why exactly?"

"That's the problem. I have no idea what she wants and why she's doing this! I didn't exactly stick around for the details…"

"Come on, Caroline," Alaric asserted. "Don't you think you're overreacting, just a little bit?" She scoffed into the phone.

"Err, HELLO? Who are you and what have you done with the Ric that would _never_ side with the Great Evil Klaus Mikaelson?"

"Care, I just want you to be safe," Alaric said with a light chuckle. "And I can't believe I'm saying this but the Mikaelson house seems to be your best bet right now."

"Well I'm sorry but Klaus needs to learn that I'm NOT the kind of girlfriend he can just talk into sitting back while he goes around taking care of everything in the name of 'protection'. So unless he – what's SO funny?"

"Girlfriend huh?"

"Wha– Shut up."

* * *

"Hope."

Hope's ear pricked at the sound of her father's voice. She shifted her gaze off the view of the city streets and turned around to see him standing there with his hands behind his back. She frowned and resumed looking out the balcony.

"Have you come to yell at me some more?" She heard him sigh in response.

"I have to admit, that was a bit harsh on my part," he said softly and came to stand next to her, leaning against the balcony railing.

"You think?" Hope quipped. Klaus chuckled lightly and that's when Hope finally turned to look at her father and saw that the laughter didn't reach his eyes.

"Sweetheart," he began slowly, "You were too little to see the chaos that Aurora had caused that last time she came around…"

"We always have drama following us. What's new?"

"This is BAD, Hope," he said with an urgency that took Hope slightly aback. "It was wrong of me to think you knew any better to suspect something this drastic would happen and for that I apologize." He put his hand on her shoulder. "Aurora is more dangerous now than ever with the Hollow magic powering her and I don't know what I would do if she hurt you."

Hope pursed her lips together. As mad as she was at the way her father had lashed out at her and pretty much everyone in the room earlier, she could understand where he was coming from. He had seen way too much in his life to not be paranoid and angry about anything threatening that came their way. She lifted her hand and placed it on his over her shoulder and leaned into it.

"Okay," she simply said and Klaus nodded. "But I'm not the only who needs to be apologized to."

"You don't say," he stated with a small smile on his face. "You're not the only one who thinks so. I suppose, Ms. Forbes deserves better." That's when Hope noticed that flash of something that looked like regret cross his face. She didn't mention it and the two of them continued to enjoy the streetscape view for a few moments before Hope spoke up.

"Dad, can I ask you something?" Klaus tilted his head at her, gesturing for her to continue.

"Is there something going on between you and Ms. Forbes?" Her words came out slightly sharper than she intended and Klaus' eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. "I mean, I know she spent a week in the city and she said it was to do some important research or whatever –"

"It _was_ important work," he confirmed simply and Hope didn't fail to notice how her father had conveniently ignored the first part of her question. She wanted to push further on that front but chose instead to focus on confirming another pressing suspicion that had been on her mind for a while.

"Does that work have something to do with the twins by any chance?" She asked, watching her father carefully. Klaus frowned.

"Hope, why would you ask that?" His question was genuine; Hope supposed her question might actually seem to have come out of nowhere from the perspective of an outsider.

"I don't know, just the way Dr. Saltzman and Ms. Forbes have been acting around them lately it seemed like they're hiding something. I just figured it might be connected." Klaus stared at her for a moment before laughing lightly.

"Caroline was right," he said with a smile. "You really are too smart for your own good."

"I _am_ my father's daughter," Hope responded simply with a shrug. She paused and looked straight into his eyes before continuing. "You know the real story, don't you?" Klaus hesitated and his lips parted slightly, but he didn't look away.

"Sweetheart, I can't lie to you," he admitted, shaking his head. "Yes, there is a story." He leaned in closer and looked at her in earnest. "But it isn't mine to tell."

Hope let out a frustrated sigh but understood what he meant. He was probably just respecting the privacy of the twins and everyone involved.

She figured it's time she circled back around to something he couldn't claim to not be a part of. Hope crossed her arms.

"Fine," she said shortly, raising her chin at him. "Can you at least tell me why you and Ms. Forbes are being so weird around each other? You were _really_ mean to her…"

"Caroline has seen much worse than this," Klaus cut in, stopping her short.

"Doesn't mean she has to put up with more of it."

"When did you get so mature about these things, hmm?" Klaus asked with a smirk while Hope looked back at him pointedly waiting for a reply. He paused and turned to look away at the streets again. "I simply worry. It's precisely because of her friendship with me that I worry more. Aurora could target her next…"

His words drifted off like he had suddenly gotten lost in his own thoughts. Hope turned to glance at him to see his eyes were distant and his eyebrows were crinkled in worry. She shook her head as understanding dawned on her.

"You really care about Ms. Forbes, don't you Dad?" She asked slowly and watched as Klaus shifted his gaze from the sights below and turned to look at her.

"Immensely."

It was all he said but that one simple word spoke volumes to Hope. And the look in her father's eyes as he uttered it, was one she had never seen much of, at least not towards anyone other than her.

It was a look of pure, unblemished adoration.

And just then she knew, without a doubt, that her father and her Headmistress shared more than just a longstanding friendship.

* * *

Klaus walked into Rousseau's somewhat confident he would find Caroline there. She wasn't trying to hide out from him and he knew Caroline wasn't one to leave an argument hanging without closure. He had sent Rebekah to look for her on another side of town just in case, but he hoped to end his search here.

Sure enough, he was barely walking up to the bar when he spotted her.

She was still in her white shirt and pastel green pants; clearly, she had come straight here from his place. Her blazer had been taken off and now lay draped over the short backrest of her bar stool. Even now in his stressed state of mind, her ankles called out to him in her dark teal pumps and he found it hard to believe that only earlier that morning he was dripping shower water on the very outfit she was wearing.

She was smiling lightly and talking to someone with her drink in hand. That's when he dragged his eyes off her to settle on who was keeping her company.

Declan.

Klaus clenched his fists, rustling up reasons in his head as to why killing him would be a bad idea in general. He dropped a text to Rebekah saying he had located Caroline and marched up to the bar. When he came and stood before them, Declan was the first to acknowledge him, his bright eyes going wide in surprise.

"Klaus Mikaelson," he stated. "Fancy meeting you here."

"Leave us," Klaus snarled at him, completely skipping any pleasantries.

"Klaus!" Caroline chided but he didn't take his eyes off the human.

"It's alright, Caroline," Declan told her and turned to address Klaus. "I'll leave but if only the lady is alright with it." He glanced back at Caroline who lightly nodded. With one final stare-down at Klaus he walked away from the bar, disappearing into the kitchen. Finally convinced that the boy had completely left the scene, Klaus turned to face the beautiful blonde vampire who was now glowering at him.

"Caroline –"

"What the hell was that, Klaus?" She crossed her arms in front of her. "Was that really a time for you to flash your Alpha-male crap all over him?"

"I'm a wolf; it's what I do," Klaus retorted unapologetically before taking a deep breath and taking the empty seat next to Caroline. She didn't speak, continuing to stare at him expectantly and Klaus sighed.

"Don't be angry love…"

"That is NOT an apology."

"Fine, I concede that I shouldn't have lost my temper," he started. "But it was with _good_ reason, Caroline. You don't realize the true magnitude of the problem!" She simply stared at him and Klaus waited patiently, vaguely aware that live music had begun to play in the pub.

"Then tell me," Caroline said quietly, her expression unchanging. "What is going on, Klaus? Who is this Aurora person and why did she try to infiltrate my school? Was it to get to you? How did she come to life; Hope told me she was in a sleeping spell –"

"Not here," he cut her short as the live music began to get louder. "Come with me." He took her hand and went in the direction of the kitchens. On spotting Declan, he called out to him. "Where's your office?"

The Irishman looked surprised to see them back there but begrudgingly pointed the way to them. Klaus continued his quick stride with Caroline alongside and walked along the short corridor, stepping into the door at the end of it that housed a small workspace. He shut the door behind them; they could still the music strumming through the thin walls but it was still better than being outside and most importantly, they were away from any prying supernatural eyes and ears that may have been listening. He turned to finally look at Caroline who was now leaning against the small desk and watching him anxiously. Klaus proceeded to explain.

"From what I understand, Aurora has come back to life because…" He paused to let out a frustrated sigh before he continued. "It would appear that the Hollow magic broke out of the curse box and latched itself to her desiccated body. Evidently it was powerful enough to wake her up," Klaus explained as Caroline's eyes went wide. "As for what she might do next, suffice to say I know without a doubt that revenge is the only thing on her mind at the moment." Caroline huffed out in confusion.

"But… how…" she started. Klaus stepped forward and gently took her hands in his, relieved that her residual anger didn't compel her to shake him off.

"I'd like to show you, Caroline," he said softly, capturing her eyes with his. "If you'll allow me."

Caroline's confused expression didn't change, but after a moment she slowly nodded and Klaus gently raised his palms to place them on the sides of her forehead.

A flurry of visions crossed by as he opened his mind up for Caroline to see for herself. He went on to show how Aurora had been put to slumber by Freya. He told her about Aurora's closeness with her brother Tristan who had betrayed the Mikaelsons as a consequence of which they had trapped him in a container that was dropped into the ocean. He explained to her that Tristan had died along with Elijah, having been from that sire-line and that he was the one Aurora was looking to avenge.

When Klaus finally let go, Caroline blinked and he slowly stepped back, watching her carefully as she gathered herself together. She pressed her palms against her face and gasped.

"Wow…That's a LOT of history."

"Indeed." Klaus agreed, feeling some relief on seeing that Caroline's ire towards him seemed to have simmered down slightly.

"So… what do we do now?" She asked, her tone solemn. Klaus hesitated before he finally spoke.

"I need you to leave town."

" _What_?" Caroline's expression instantly shifted to that of indignance. "You were just telling me YOUR house is where it's safe!"

"After you left, I had a little conversation with my sisters and we concluded that since Aurora was last spotted here, you would be safer away from the city… away from me." Caroline stared at him, bewildered by what he was suggesting.

"You can't be serious. I want to help!" She insisted. "And what do you mean away from _you_?"

"Despite all the ups and downs between Aurora and me, one thing has remained constant throughout: her undeterred obsession with me," Klaus pointed out. "I suppose I'm guilty of a deeply ingrained bias towards her as well… which in all likelihood explains why I never actually got around to killing her."

"So…" Caroline faltered. "What are you saying?" Her voice trembled lightly and Klaus suspected she already knew what he was going to tell her.

"We can't be together, Caroline," he said shortly, his own voice cracking lightly even as he saw Caroline's eyes get glassy. "At least… not until we find Aurora. We can't contact each other, meet, anything that would imply our connection." Caroline was frozen in place and he took a step closer to her. "I can't stress enough _how_ important it is that she not find out about the relationship we share."

"But how does it even matter?" Caroline's voice squeaked out. " _Anyone_ who associates with the Mikaelsons would be in danger of receiving her wrath; not just me. Why do _we_ have to be apart?" A small tear finally slipped down her cheek and Klaus instinctively reached out to wipe it away with his thumb.

"Aurora can be violently possessive…"

"That is NOT a good enough reason."

"You don't understand, love!" Klaus exclaimed. He took a deep breath and took a step away from her, running his hands through his hair.

Through the shared vision, he had shown Caroline everything about Aurora's story and everything that might pertain to her wanting to take revenge on him. He couldn't comprehend why Caroline was still fighting back, why she was still not seeing how this could be bad especially for her.

And that's when he realized he had subconsciously skipped over a very important part of the story; possibly because it was a memory that was so painful, he didn't want to relive it even in his head.

But the way Caroline was looking back at him right now with worry creasing her beautiful face, he knew he had to tell her if he wanted her to truly grasp the enormity of the situation. He pressed his lips together as he braced himself to narrate the story.

"Caroline…" he started, slightly uneasy as the words came out. "Aurora compelled Camille to slit her own throat if she and I ever spent the night together." He felt his own eyes fill up as he recalled that terrible moment when he found Camille dead in his bed beside him.

"What?" Caroline's voice was a whisper.

"She…" Klaus cleared his throat. "She gave Camille a vial of her blood and instructed her to consume it and kill herself if Camille and I ever… consummated our relationship." Caroline gasped softly but continued to listen and Klaus shook his head. "Aurora _turned_ Camille simply because she made the dire mistake of loving me and it destroyed that poor girl. I can't…" He reached out and took Caroline's hand in his again. "I can't even imagine what she might do to you if she knows… about _us_." Klaus swallowed, his eyes getting blurry. "If anything happens to you too…"

"It won't…"

"I'm not willing to take that chance," Klaus said with finality. "You don't know her, Caroline. She's ruthless. Just…" He squeezed her hand. "Do this for me, please." Caroline looked back at him sadly and slowly nodded.

"Okay." She sniffled softly and lifted her palm to his face to run her fingers through his stubble. Using her hand to guide his face closer, she slowly leaned forward and Klaus couldn't help but give in as she offered him one last kiss.

Klaus reveled in the feel of her soft lips against his and closed his eyes, wanting to relish the feeling for as long as he could. When their lips finally broke apart, Klaus felt the ambient humming of the live music from outside the room fade out.

Everything went still and all he could hear was the whisper of her breath on his lips and what he was convinced was the sound of his heart breaking as a tear finally escaped his eye.

Klaus took a step back, putting his arms on Caroline's shoulders. "You need to leave tonight, sweetheart. I'm sending Hope with you so you both can be safe, away from here."

"Okay," Caroline said, a soft sob escaping her.

"I need you to take care of her while I rid ourselves of this problem once and for all, something I should have done a long time ago."

"Yeah, of course," she choked out, nodding at him and wiping her face of tears. Klaus dropped his hands off her shoulders and swallowed.

"I'll see you, Caroline," he said softly and he absently noted the change of song in the background music that was still pulsating through the walls around them. He turned away and opened the door, not trusting himself to look at Caroline again without wanting to kiss her when she suddenly spoke up.

"I like this song."

She had commented so softly that Klaus would have missed it hadn't it been for his Hybrid hearing.

He tilted his head back to see her looking straight at him with a rueful expression. She slowly extended her hand and offered him a small smile.

"Dance with me?"

She had asked so earnestly; Klaus couldn't find it in himself to turn her down. He eagerly walked back up to her and snaked his arms around her while she placed her hands on his chest.

The slow music continued to vibrate in their surrounding and they moved in unison, neither one wanting to let go. Caroline had settled her head into Klaus' chest and he breathed in the essence of the woman he loved.

Before they knew it, the song had come to an end and without another word, they let go and went their separate ways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew, I have to admit there were parts of this chapter that were tough to write; some character dynamics are more complicated than others. But yeah, it's great to be back with updates.
> 
> Don't forget to REVIEW, y'all know how much I love hearing from you guys ad it's been so long :)
> 
> I listened to a lot of music while writing this one - the first song is actually what I pictured playing in that last scene when I visualised it while the others are just what I was listening to while writing it. But I highly recommend you listen to whichever KC song appeals to you the most for the best immersive experience :)
> 
> Hope everyone enjoyed the update, see you next week. Cheers.
> 
> \--
> 
> MUSIC PROMPTS  
> ~.~
> 
> "I like this song."  
> 'Lover, Please Stay' - Nothing But Thieves
> 
> 'Hallelujah' - Theory of a Deadman
> 
> 'Night Vision' - Alice Kristiansen
> 
> 'The Curse' - Agnes Obel


	33. Hunter Mode

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time spent away from Hope & Caroline take its toll on Klaus and some important information comes to light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The overwhelming response I got from the previous chapter was exciting; always nice to see everyone's interest in the plot. There were a few repetitive themes in the questions, some of which I was unable to answer with regards to the aspects of canon that I decided to follow and I thought I could just address them here to make things easier :D
> 
> -Aurora had indeed taken the serum before her death and Freya had put her under the sleeping spell in order to be able to extract the serum. However, Vincent was the one who got it out of Aurora's heart and gave it over to Marcel, making Aurora simply a vampire desiccating in a sleeping spell.
> 
> -About the Klamille scene, I personally believe nothing beyond some making out & cuddling happened that one night before Cami killed herself (the fact the someone like Klaus would just sleep was unusual to me but hey, I'm trying to keep things canon). But on the show (as well as in Aurora's compulsion) things were pretty vague so I chose to interpret it as something happening between Klaus & Cami for the purpose of this story.
> 
> Anyone see the new Legacies episode? I'm almost worried about how it will mess with my divergent canon lol.
> 
> With all that said, let's get to it. Happy Reading! Heads up, there's a time jump.
> 
> Disclaimer: TVD universe is vast but not mine.

Three weeks. Four days. Seventeen hours.

That was precisely the amount of time that had passed since Klaus had last seen his daughter.

The sensation of this kind was strange to him; he knew very well from his own experience that he was easily capable of going close to a decade without seeing his little girl just as long as he knew she was safe. Even with the extended periods of time he'd had to stay away from Hope when she was much younger, Klaus still maintained without a doubt that the only time in his life he had really _felt_ time was the fifty two years, four months and nine days that he had been plagued by the Hunter's Curse.

Then why was this so different? Perhaps it was because he had allowed himself to finally let his guard down and get comfortable enough to believe things would be peaceful for once with his family.

Obviously, that wasn't the case. And his reaction to the situation wasn't really something that would have been taken to kindly had his daughter been around either.

Klaus wasn't completely oblivious to the fact that he was starting to go a little mad. His own sister had pointed it out earlier that day but even now as he ripped the heart out of yet another unhelpful source for Aurora's whereabouts, he was beginning to realize he didn't care. He knelt down and wiped the excess blood on his victim's coat and stood up, hardly noticing the blood spatter on his collar from his earlier kill that had barely dried.

At the moment the only thing he could find solace in was the fact that Hope was back in Mystic Falls where she would be safe and far away from all this.

And then there was Caroline.

It had been equally long, if not slightly longer since he had said his goodbyes to her and the anguish was eating at him from the inside. He even went so far as to regret letting himself get used to hearing the sound of her voice every day because he was now learning the hard way that Caroline was a hard drug to wean off of. As he stood there now in the darkened alleyway amid a string of bodies who had failed to tell him where Aurora was hiding out, he wondered how she was doing.

He hated that this unforeseen and forced separation from the woman he loved was bringing out a love-struck side to him that he didn't acknowledge existed before. Every time he closed his eyes, he was haunted by dreams of her; the smoothness of her creamy skin, the subtle pink of her lips, the feel of her short, blonde curls between his fingers.

He clenched his blood-covered fists.

Aurora was going to pay for this. He swore that the next time he saw her, he wouldn't think twice before ending her life.

* * *

Caroline sat at her desk and twiddled with her pen, once again finding herself staring out the window into nothing while her mind raced with worry. She was still fuming at Klaus for enforcing this zero-contact rule between them but at the end of the day, she understood it was all he could do to protect her… and Hope.

She hadn't spoken to him in close to a month and oddly found herself missing the little things she had gotten used to over the couple of weeks before they last met – from remembering incidents that happened through the day to tell him about later to hearing him endlessly tease her for all her quirks.

Then of course, there was that one night with some steamy phone sex…

Caroline cleared her throat. She was the headmistress of a school and here she was behaving like one of the resident teenagers daydreaming about their boyfriend.

 _Boyfriend_. The term seemed so silly to use on a powerful werewolf-vampire Hybrid who had been roaming the earth for over a thousand years. She couldn't help but childishly wonder if he would ever refer to her as his girlfriend, especially since it had become evident that he hadn't been short on them during his long life.

Caroline shook her head as Aurora came to her mind, unable to believe that Klaus' ex-girlfriend from over eight hundred years ago had come back from the dead to get her revenge and that she had been here under their noses all this while. A tinge of what she denied was jealousy hit her in the gut when her mind's eye unwittingly wandered to a time when Klaus and Aurora would have been happy together.

Upon asking for the whole Aurora story, Klaus had given her a brief introduction and even lent her his copy of his memoirs for her to read but Caroline somehow got the impression that there was still _so_ much more between them, way beyond what words could describe. She was just about to pull the book out when someone burst into her office and she looked up to see a very anxious looking Josie.

"Mom! We need help. There's something wrong with Hope –" Caroline stood up and flashed to her, not needing to hear anymore.

"Take me to her."

* * *

"Caroline!"

"Ric, what happened?" She exclaimed, flashing straight towards his desk. Alaric gestured at the couch in his office and that's when Caroline shifted her attention there to see Hope stretched out on it, now flanked on both sides by her daughters.

"Hope and I were training," Alaric explained. "And all of a sudden, she complained about feeling the chills and just collapsed. Our girls helped me get her to my office discreetly so the other students wouldn't get freaked out." He watched as Caroline went over to the couch and knelt before Hope.

"Hey sweetie, you okay?" She spoke softly, reaching out to gently stroke her hair and looking back at Alaric. "She's cold."

"That's what she said just before she fainted," Josie piped up from next to Caroline.

"I don't get it," Lizzie shrugged. "How does a Tribrid with healing powers fall sick?" Caroline's eyes snapped to Alaric's who cleared his throat.

"Girls, we can take it from here," he instructed his daughters.

"Fat chance, Dad," Lizzie quipped, "We want to help." Caroline sighed.

"Lizzie, honey, I know you and Josie are worried about your friend –"

"Friend? Mom, she's been more honest with me and Josie than you and Dad have been lately."

"Lizzie, that's a bit of a stretch, don't you think?" Alaric glared at his daughter.

"We honestly don't know what to think, Dad," Josie retorted, now coming to stand next to Lizzie. "Both of us have the weird feeling that you and Mom have been keeping something from us for a while now." She crossed her arms in front of her and Lizzie followed suit. "So are you going to tell us what's going on or what?"

"And don't give us that crap about building a school in New Orleans," Lizzie narrowed her eyes at her parents before they could respond. Alaric exchanged glances with Caroline and slightly nodded. She turned to face the girls and took a deep breath.

"Lizzie, Josie, you're right," she started, to looks of triumph from the twins. "Your father and I have been keeping something very important from you, for GOOD reason," she emphasized. "And we're sorry." The girls looked at each other before nodding at her.

"Go on," Lizzie stated and Caroline was just about to respond when a groan erupted from the couch and everyone turned to see Hope stirring.

"Hope!" Caroline rushed to her side. "Hope, can you hear me?" She placed her palm on Hope's face and her face turned to that of worry. "Ric, she's freezing!" She immediately stood up. "I'm taking her home," she declared, turning to look at Alaric.

"Err, HELLO?" Lizzie exclaimed indignantly. "Important conversation here?" She was glaring wide-eyed at her mother who came and stood before her. Caroline placed her arms on her daughter's shoulders and gave her an apologetic smile.

"Lizzie, Josie," she started, looking at both her daughters, "I can't fully explain it but Hope's in trouble and I think Freya's the only one that can help. So, I need to take her back home." Alaric couldn't help notice the way she used the word 'home' rather than the name of the city. "But I _promise_ you, your father and I will tell you EVERYTHING as soon as I get back. Okay?" She watched hopefully as her daughters exchanged looks and turned back to face her.

"Fine," Lizzie stated. "But no excuses after that," she urged, throwing a look at her father as well. Alaric nodded.

"No excuses."

* * *

Klaus paced the atrium at the Abattoir like a caged animal and was just about ready to murder someone to vent out his frustration.

A few hours ago, Freya had gotten a call from Alaric informing her that Hope was sick and that Caroline was driving her home. He was torn between worrying over his daughter and being furious at Caroline for defying his instructions to stay away from his city.

His sisters sat at the table as they anxiously awaited their niece's arrival and soon enough, he heard the sound of the car stopping outside the compound. He barely moved when he saw Caroline flash in with Hope, helping her sit at the table. Klaus rushed to Hope's side and took her hands in his.

"Sweetheart, are you alright? Bloody hell, you're cold," he remarked and exchanged a quick look with Caroline before turning straight to Freya who was now walking towards them with her palm resting on her eight-month belly. "It's just like the last time." Freya touched Hope's face and Caroline spoke up, her face full of worry.

"I just didn't know what else to do," Caroline started apologetically, addressing Freya.

"You did the right thing, Caroline," Freya said shortly and turned to Klaus. "She's having the same symptoms as she did when she first encountered the Hollow magic as a child."

"Oh dear, has your poor child taken ill, Niklaus?"

All faces in the room turned in the direction of the new voice and Klaus watched in fury as Aurora practically waltzed into his home again.

"You…" he snarled.

Before anyone could blink, he had her in a choke-hold against the wall while her legs dangled beneath her.

"You have the GALL to show your face here," Klaus hissed at her, his eyes flashing a dangerous golden. " _What_ have you done to my daughter?"

"Niklaus, you misunderstand me," she said sweetly. "This beautiful piece of magic gave me back my life. I only wanted to share it with her," she added with a pout and Klaus stilled as the truth hit him.

The Hollow was back in his daughter again, after EVERYTHING.

He was not going to back down. His fingers trembled slightly in rage as they itched to rip her throat out.

"Well," he said icily, "I managed to get the Hollow magic out of my daughter once. Which means I can just as well do it again." He leaned closer and growled at her. "The best part is, we don't need you for that." Aurora slightly squirmed under his hold.

"Are you really going to kill me, my love?" Aurora choked out and Klaus clenched his jaw in annoyance.

A little further behind him, Freya narrowed her eyes as she watched the exchange between her brother and his ex-lover.

"Something's wrong," she commented, turning to Rebekah who was nodding in agreement.

"Yeah, Aurora is a fighter. Granted, she has an immunity to pain but right now she's way too relaxed."

"She's _immune_ to pain?" Caroline exclaimed from behind them and the two Mikaelson sisters turned towards her as she stood with her arm over a sleeping Hope looking shocked. "What is she?" Rebekah scoffed.

"That's a long story. Maybe you should ask Nik to tell you all about it someday," she muttered in a sly tone, making Caroline raise an eyebrow at her.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Caroline's eyebrows furrowed in irritation as Rebekah turned away from her.

"Niklaus!" Freya was now walking up to Klaus as he continued to hold Aurora by the throat. "Don't kill her." Klaus growled, not taking his eyes off his former flame.

"I think not, sister," he snarled, his double fangs dropping as he glared at Aurora.

"I know it sounds strange, but I think she WANTS us to kill her," Freya stated. That caught Klaus' attention and he craned his neck slightly to glance at his sister.

"What are you talking about, Freya?"

"Think about it, what reason would she really have to come walk straight in here with no back-up or protection?" Freya pointed out and Klaus frowned. Perhaps in his anger and his urge to kill Aurora he had blinded him to this fact. He slowly turned back to look at Aurora and lowered her so her feet were now touching the floor without loosening his hold on her.

"Is my sister right?" He questioned her as his fangs slowly retracted. "Do you wish to die by my hands?" Aurora let out a short laugh.

"I have nothing to lose, why don't you give it a go?" She responded with a smirk and Klaus lost it. In a split second, his fist had punched through her rib cage and his fingers clamped around her undead heart.

"ANSWER THE QUESTION!" He roared at her, his eyes flashing golden as he caught a flicker of fear in her eyes. He leaned closer and growled into her ear. "Why do you seem so eager for me to kill you?" Aurora exhaled sharply and sneered back at him.

"Perhaps it's because I've ensured that my death… would mean the death of your daughter."

Klaus' blood went cold as his eyes widened in disbelief.

"What?"

By then Rebekah had rushed to his side as well, her expression of shock mirroring his as she scowled at Aurora.

"What the hell have you done, you bitch?"

"She's bonded her life with Hope's," Freya's voice huffed out. A gasp burst out from behind them as Caroline heard what she said. Klaus stilled; his hand still lodged in Aurora's chest.

"You're bluffing," he said through gritted teeth and Aurora tilted her head at him.

"Try me; you're welcome to take that chance," she said innocently with a wry smile that infuriated Klaus even more. Rebekah put her arm on his shoulder.

"Nik, I hate to say this," she said softly, "but you have to let her go." She threw a dirty glance at Aurora. "We can't kill her… yet." Klaus paused for a moment and let out a gruff breath as he removed his bloody hand from Aurora's chest with her heart still in place.

As soon as Klaus had done so, Aurora in a surprising show of magically enhanced strength, whipped out two wooden stakes and stabbed Klaus and Rebekah in their sides with enough force to send them falling backwards. Freya and Caroline watched in horror as the two Mikaelsons went down on their knees temporarily incapacitated and Aurora flashed out of the Abattoir.

* * *

Caroline sat by Hope's bed in the young Mikaelson's room leafing through her notebook with all her findings on the Merge. With all the drama happening around her she knew she couldn't lose sight of what she had to do for her girls either. She threw a glance at Hope to see she was still fast asleep and sighed as she thought about what the encounter with Aurora earlier meant.

Hope was bonded with Aurora. She cursed herself as she realized the spell was probably carried out during some unsupervised session they had in the school and it killed her that she hadn't caught on before it had happened. And now, they were completely at the mercy of this vengeful vampire if they couldn't find a way to cut the ties with Hope.

In other words, if Aurora suddenly decided to kill herself, they wouldn't be able to stop her and Hope would be –

The sound of someone slamming the door as they came in, snapped her out of her thoughts. She turned to see Klaus anxiously looking at his daughter sleeping in her bed. She noticed he had showered after the minor bloodbath earlier and had changed into a deep red Henley paired with dark jeans, both of which fit him like a glove.

 _Caroline, now is SO not the time to ogle the man you're in love with_. She kept her book aside and stood up from her seat.

"Klaus, you're… healed." She said the first words that popped into her head and Klaus' gaze immediately shifted from his daughter to her, like he only then realized she was in the room as well. His lips parted slightly and he exhaled sharply.

It was then that Caroline remembered this was the first time they were meeting face to face since that night they had decided to part in the hopes of her escaping Aurora's wrath.

 _Guess it didn't really matter now_. Klaus seemed to have the same thought as they spontaneously rushed into each other's arms, holding tight.

"Klaus, I'm so sorry this is happening," Caroline sniffed into his neck.

"It's not your fault, sweetheart," he said softly and kissed her hair. "I'm sorry I told you to stay away…"

"You were trying to keep me safe," she said, leaning pack and holding his face in her palm. She gently pulled him closer for a chaste kiss, their lips lightly brushing each other before she realized her hands had found its way around his neck and his were protectively gripping her waist. She broke the kiss and pecked his cheek before pulling him into a hug again. She felt him sigh deeply.

"I've missed you, Caroline."

"I missed you too."

They stepped apart and turned to look at the sleeping teenager in her bed. Klaus looked terrified at the possibility that his daughter's life was in Aurora's hands and Caroline took his hand, giving it a soft squeeze.

Just then there was a knock at the door and Freya's head popped in. Caroline instantly loosened her hold on Klaus' hand only to be surprised by him continuing to hold on tight. Nevertheless, Freya didn't seem to notice.

"We all need to talk," she said, looking pointedly at the two of them and Klaus turned to Caroline and gestured towards the door.

"Let's take this outside," he said softly and they stepped outside, leaving the door ajar in case Hope woke up. Freya spoke with a worried look on her face.

"We need to destroy the Hollow magic in her once and for all," she started and Klaus growled.

"I could give a rat's arse about the bloody Hollow magic," he snarled at her. "The priority right now is to break the BOND that woman has with my DAUGHTER!" He shouted; the anxiety for Hope's wellbeing evident in his wide eyes. Caroline put a calming arm on Klaus' shoulder and Freya responded unaffected by his outburst; she appeared to have gotten used to them by now.

"I know it seems like the bond is the first thing we need to focus on –"

"I don't see why it isn't!"

"…But the magic itself it what we should be trying to get rid of –"

"That wicked little cricket could be planning her own death right now just to get back at me!"

"Put aside your father-brain for a moment and THINK, Niklaus," Freya urged with a stern look. He narrowed his eyes at his sister as she continued. "She didn't do anything about it for this long. Just because you are aware of it now, I think there's a good chance she has something bigger in mind."

"That's a chance I'm not willing to take!" Klaus snapped at her. "There has to be ANOTHER way!"

"Klaus," Caroline said gently squeezing his shoulder. "Freya, might be right…"

"Easy for you to say. She's not YOUR daughter!"

"Niklaus!" Freya admonished him.

"She's not YOURS either!" Klaus retorted, pointing a finger at his sister. "Cleary, neither of you care about saving her life as much as I do."

"Klaus!" Caroline's eyes went wide. "You KNOW that's not true!"

"I think I can help."

The witch, the Hybrid and the vampire halted their heated conversation and turned to the person behind the voice. They looked around to see Hope leaning casually against her bedroom door frame. Klaus instantly vamp-sped to her side and put an arm around her.

"Sweetheart, you should be resting," he said, checking her for any injuries.

"I'm fine, Dad," she assured him.

"Hope, what did you mean you can help?" Freya asked, absently rubbing her belly. Klaus looked annoyed that his sister had seemingly decided to overlook Hope's health and get straight to the point. Hope shrugged and waved a book she was holding in her hands at them, causing Caroline to gasp in surprise.

Hope was holding her notebook, the same one with all the information about the Merge that she had left at Hope's bedside.

"I have an idea that might just solve all our problems. But NONE of you are going to like it."

* * *

A lot of strange things had occurred that day but Caroline was sure of one thing – Hope shouldn't have seen her book. Granted, she was the one who had left it by the then sleeping teenager's bedside earlier but she hadn't expected Hope to be awake so soon with everything she was going through.

Caroline was cautiously optimistic but couldn't help but wonder about the chances the young girl would pass on the information to her daughters before she got a chance to break the news about the Merge to them herself.

But surprisingly enough, that wasn't even her biggest worry at the moment.

For the better part of the next half hour, Hope had Caroline answering all and any questions she had about the Merge and the Gemini curse based on whatever she had read in the book during that brief time. Despite being sick earlier that day, she seemed to have gained a sudden burst of energy and a need to quench her curiosity by asking about everything she wanted to know.

At this point it was obvious that the young Mikaelson, smart girl that she is, was clearly going somewhere with this and Caroline was anxious knowing that Hope being armed with this knowledge of the Merge could have any kind of unpredictable outcome. Sure enough, when Hope pitched her idea to the rest of them, it was something that none of them had thought to consider.

They were currently in the dining room with Rebekah and Keelin having joined them as well. Caroline stood next to Hope who was sitting at the table drinking soup while Klaus restlessly paced the room. Freya sipped on her green tea with Keelin by her side. Rebekah was shaking her head at what Hope had just suggested to them.

"This is ridiculous," she exclaimed. "You all see that this is ridiculous, right?" She turned to Hope. "You are delightfully smart, my sweet girl, but this is INSANITY!" Klaus stopped in his tracks and glared at his sister.

"Thank you for stating the obvious, Rebekah."

"I can't believe I'm saying this," Caroline started. "But I have to agree with Rebekah." The blonde Original narrowed her eyes at her and turned to look at the rest of them.

"Since over half of us are already against this idea, I think we can safely outvote it."

"Hey! What about my vote?" Hope protested.

"Yours doesn't count."

"This was MY idea!" Hope set her spoon on the table and crossed her arms in front of her looking annoyed. "Lizzie and Josie are my friends; maybe we'll just figure it out ourselves and –"

"NO!" Both Klaus and Caroline yelled at the same time. There was quick exchange of awkward glances before Caroline sighed and came to stand right before the teenage Mikaelson.

"Hope, I'm SO sorry you had to find out about the Gemini curse this way," she said softly, immediately getting the young Tribrid's attention. "Lizzie and Josie… they don't know about it and you shouldn't have found out either. To be honest, Alaric and I were actually hoping that we would find a way to stop it so we wouldn't have to tell them but… it looks like it's inevitable that they know now." She shook her head. "Your suggestion…" she huffed out in disbelief, "I mean, the very IDEA that you want to link the Gemini curse with the Hollow magic and siphon them together to destroy it –"

"It's genius!" Hope broke in to finish for her and turned to the only other witch in the family. "Aunt Freya, tell them it's genius!" The rest of the room waited for Freya's disapproval and when it didn't come, they all turned to look at her suspiciously.

"Well, sister?" Klaus spoke measuredly, waiting for Freya to speak. "Don't hold back on our account." Freya shrugged.

"Brother, do you remember when I explained to you the possibility of locating and locking up the Gemini curse in the subconscious of the twins?"

"Yes. And?"

"Well, if that part is worked out, it is only a matter of temporarily reversing their siphoning abilities so we can extract it out of them. Combine it with a well-engineered linking spell that will tie that to the Hollow magic in Hope – which I'm also assuming is what keeps her bond with Aurora in place – and there you go. It actually seems doable based on the information we have on the Hollow and on Caroline's collective research about the Merge." Klaus frowned.

"So what exactly are you saying, sister?

"I'm saying that in _theory_ … Hope's idea could work."

The reality of the possibility that this might indeed be a solution that could end everything once and for all washed over the room and everyone seemed to fall into thought. It was Caroline who finally broke the silence.

"I think we should do this," she said simply.

"WHAT!" Rebekah exclaimed.

"Caroline, you can't be serious," Klaus stared at her. She didn't miss how he nearly reached out to take her hand and held back, being in the presence of Hope.

"Klaus," she said, looking knowingly into his eyes, "If this is a chance for me to permanently get rid of the curse that's plaguing my babies, what kind of mother would I be if I don't give it a shot?" Klaus sighed and Caroline looked towards Freya. "Would it be possible for us to do it back on the Salvatore property? I don't want to chance bringing my kids here while Aurora roams free." Freya shrugged.

"Yeah, I can work remotely from here. But we need to get started with the preparation as soon as we can before Aurora decides to do something that could hurt Hope again, tonight if possible." Klaus nodded at his sister's words and took a deep breath.

"Looks like we're off to wonderful Mystic Falls, then."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is not as long as my usual updates but I figured there was enough happening on there even then.
> 
> I can't believe there are only a few more chapters left before the end of this story. Once again, if you've made it this far, thank you for reading!
> 
> Let me know if you enjoyed the update & if so, which was your favourite part :) Always happy to hear from everyone. Cheers.
> 
> \--
> 
> MUSIC PROMPTS
> 
> \--  
> Three Weeks.  
> 'Where's my love - Piano Solo' - SYML  
> \--  
> "Klaus, you're… healed."  
> 'We Move Lightly' - Dustin O'Halloran  
> \--  
> "Looks like we're off to wonderful Mystic Falls, then."  
> 'The Curse' - Agnes Obel


	34. Hope's Bright Idea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first step of Hope's plan is set in motion. Freya discovers an unfortunate truth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoa, I can't believe this story crossed 300 Kudos! Thank you :)  
> Okay, I acknowledge this is a weird time to update - I was honestly not sure whether to put it up as a late post for this week or as an early post which will involve skipping next week; so I'm kinda going with both.
> 
> It's been crazy and I'm annoyed that I couldn't put a post up on Wednesday like I always do. Now, I can blame it on anything ranging from - my brain melting from the worst second-lead syndrome on a KDrama that just ended OR it could be that I was excitedly working on the Klaroline Winter Gift Exchange surprise and I'm a really slow writer who couldn't manage both lol. Maybe it was just my excess work load and the chaotic construction work outside my building that makes the term 'noise pollution' an understatement.
> 
> No matter, the update's here now! This week's episode has some heavy Legacies leanings (meaning things can get nuts to the point you go WTF is happening). Just to keep things fun, I've thrown in a butt load of references for those few scenes so you can have fun catching them all!
> 
> Okay, that's just a small part tbh, there are actually some important points covered in this chapter. So, enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: None of this TVD stuff is mine, man.

Alaric sat in his office with a work document in his hands, unable to concentrate. He glanced at the phone on his desk unable to help but wonder why Caroline hadn't called back yet with updates when she'd promised she would do so as soon as she could. As if on cue, his phone buzzed and Alaric had picked it up before it was halfway through the first ring.

"Care, what took you so long? What's going on over there? How's Hope?" A barrage of questions tumbled out of Alaric, giving away the anxiety he didn't realize had been suppressing all this while.

"She's fine… for now," Caroline said simply but Alaric could hear a hesitation in her voice indicating there was more to the story. "I'm actually, erm, _we_ are actually on our way back there now." Alaric raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean, we? Who's we?"

There was a moment's pause before Caroline spoke. "Hope. And Klaus is here too."

Knowing very well that Hope could be listening in on the conversation, Alaric chose not to dwell or react to that. "I see," he simply said. Instead he chose to point out something that was common knowledge to everyone. "I thought we had agreed that Big Bad Wolves aren't allowed on campus."

"It will be late when we get there so none of the other students will get to know," Caroline debated. "Besides, don't you feel it's time we gave a rethink on who will and won't be allowed on school grounds after the Aurora fiasco?"

"If you say so," he said shortly, not trusting himself to reign in his real feelings about the matter if he said anything more. Caroline seemed to understand and when she spoke this time, her tone was gentler.

"Ric, you have to trust me on this. It has to do with saving our girls too." This caught Alaric's attention. "I'll tell you everything as soon as we get there. We have a plan but there's something very important you and I need to do first."

"What is it?"

"It's time we told the girls about the Merge."

Ten minutes later, Alaric was still at his desk after having gotten off the phone with Caroline, digesting the enormity of what he had to do now. He had been dreading this day ever since the girls were born and it was finally here.

Caroline had explained the basics of what they planned to do over the phone due to which the girls needed to be prepared.

" _Okay, so you want to link the Gemini curse and the Hollow magic, then extract it so it can be destroyed… together?"_

" _It was Hope's idea actually," Caroline responded and Alaric could sense a hint of pride in her voice. He sighed and shook his head in confusion._

" _I get the linking and siphoning part, it makes sense," he began. "But how exactly are we going about the destroying part?" There was a pause before Caroline spoke._

" _We'll cross that bridge when we get there," she said shortly. "For now, we need to locate and trap the black magic in our girls so it's ready when the time comes for extraction." The abrupt change of tone in Caroline's voice confirmed that there was definitely something more on her mind but once more, he chose to save the real questions for later when she was back at the school rather than in a car with two Mikaelsons._

" _Okay," was all he said._

Alaric reflected on the plan once more. On one hand he knew this could probably be a safer alternative to saving the girls that didn't involve either of them dying. But the fact that Caroline had shared her shocking discovery about having to die in order to destroy the curse itself continued to worry him. He couldn't help but wonder if she still planned to follow through with that and if it was why she didn't expand on the subject.

He barely took his mind off that point of contention before shifting to the other main problem to be dealt with – telling the girls about the Merge.

Caroline had suggested he hold off till she got there so they could have the talk together but Alaric understood the need for urgency and told her he would handle it himself. She hadn't seemed entirely happy about it but agreed with him all the same.

Now however as he sat there waiting, after having asked his girls to come to his office, he wished she could have been there. There was slight thump as his door swung open and Lizzie briskly walked in, followed closely by Josie. Lizzie glanced around the room before her gaze landed on him.

"Where's Mom? I thought she's back and we're going to have our 'talk'." She came forward to sit down at the table across Alaric.

"Is Hope doing okay?" Josie asked, coming to sit next to her sister as well. Both Alaric's daughters looked at him expectantly for an answer and he sighed.

"Your mother is on her way back with Hope, who's fine for now," he said. Neither of his girls showed it but he could sense a hint of relief on their faces from hearing that. "We are still going to have 'the talk' though… unfortunately due to certain pressing circumstances, we're going to have to get started without her."

"Why?" Lizzie frowned. Alaric was about to respond when she continued. "Actually, never mind. Just tell us already." Alaric took a deep breath.

"Okay, then."

* * *

Hope opened her eyes as a particularly high bump on the road jostled her awake. She heard a muted 'sorry' and her blurry eyes adjusted to a very familiar scenery zooming past her. She sat up and yawned; it was pretty dark outside but she could tell they were almost at their destination – the Salvatore School.

She leaned forward and cozied herself in between the two front seats, a smile tugging at her lips when she asked:

"Are we there yet?"

Caroline was driving and huffed out a laugh while her father tilted his head to give her a smile from the passenger seat.

"Almost there, love. Shouldn't be too long now."

Hope shrugged. "I know, I just thought it'll be fun to ask that."

Another smile from her dad and he turned to look ahead again. After a few minutes of silence, Hope figured she should make the most of being on a road trip with her father and her Headmistress, the connection between the two of whom she had _many_ questions. She cleared her throat.

"So… Klaus Mikaelson and Ms. Caroline Forbes back in Mystic Falls…" she started, despite the two of them appearing to be lost in their own thoughts and not paying her much mind. "It must be such a throwback to come here together, right?"

The car braked abruptly for a second before it slowly sped up and continued as it had been.

"What?" Caroline spluttered out and Hope couldn't help but notice her grip on the wheel tighten slightly. Klaus simply chuckled.

If Hope hadn't caught their attention earlier, she did now.

"You know," Hope continued innocently, "Because Dad being the Big Bad Wolf and you with your friends that was a thing back then; I mean, at least that's what Stefan Salvatore's diary says…"

"Oh! Right," Caroline laughed drily. "I forget that's there sometimes."

"Not to mention," Klaus commented, "Stefan's journal might portray a slightly skewed perspective of me –"

Caroline scoffed. "Not _that_ skewed."

"Well, it clearly didn't seem to bother you." Caroline snapped her face to his with an indignant glare.

"I was EXTREMELY bothered, thank you very much!"

"Must be because you had a thing for the bad boys…"

"OH MY GOD, KLAU –"

"Well, this is fun," Hope couldn't help but giggle at the turn of events and unfortunately that put a stop to the flow of the conversation as Caroline's pointed glare got directed at her.

"No, it isn't." Caroline reached out to turn the volume up on the car radio. "I think we should spend the rest of our journey listening QUIETLY to some music." Caroline had pursed her lips together in annoyance but Hope and her Dad exchanged amused glances at her flustered reaction.

* * *

Caroline could safely say she felt a sense of immense relief upon arriving at the Salvatore School. Sure, she enjoyed the company on the drive by itself but the constant worry that someone might say something to give away the fact that she and Klaus were together was strangely stressing her out more than it had to.

And that was when she saw her daughters waiting for her at the school entrance with Alaric as she moved into the driveway. Relief was replaced with worry once more as she saw them look at her expectantly while she got out of the car and she remembered…

 _They know about the Merge now_.

She heard Hope cough again behind her as Klaus stepped out as well to help his daughter out but her eyes were trained on her girls. She slowly walked up to them and glanced between the two of them, unsure what to say.

"Girls, I…"

"Is it true, Mom?" Lizzie spoke up, a somber expression on her face as she stood before her mother with her arms crossed.

"What?"

"Is this why you've been traveling all over the world like a maniac with an insatiable wanderlust? All that time away was just so you could save us?" Caroline huffed out a dry laugh.

"Well, yeah. I mean, you're my babies and –" She never got to complete her sentence before her two girls piled on her with a hug. She gasped and wrapped her arms around them, sending a small smile at Alaric who was watching quietly as she embraced her daughters. "Oh, girls. I'm so sorry…"

"You have nothing to apologize for, Mom," Josie's muffled voice responded and Caroline could feel warm tears on her shoulder as one crept down her own cheek.

"Except the fact that you and Dad should have told us about this before," Lizzie added and Caroline laughed lightly.

"Yeah well, parents do the craziest things to keep their children safe."

Later, the group had shifted to the basketball court and were setting up for the spell that Hope had suggested. Since there was a need for an additional witch, with the twins' minds having to be tackled separately, the most trustworthy witch on staff, Emma Tig, had been requested to join in and help out.

"Are you sure about this, Caroline?" Emma asked, her big dark eyes wide in worry.

"Honestly, no," Caroline admitted. "But it's our only shot now and we have to try." Just then, Hope walked up to them and handed them a sheet of paper each.

"So, our aim is to basically locate the dark versions of Lizzie and Josie within their subconscious and trap them somewhere safe so they're ready to be linked with the Hollow magic and then extracted later."

"I'm… impressed, Hope," Emma commented, glancing over the paper that had been handed to her. "This is really good."

"Thank you, Ms. Tig," Hope nodded with an awkward smile.

"I would recommend a shot of our meditative potion for the girls, though," she suggested. "It might help them be more relaxed so the entry into their mindscape is a little smoother."

"I could do with some of that right now," Caroline muttered, making Hope smile lightly before she addressed her teacher again.

"You're right, Ms. Tig. I'll go get it."

A few minutes later, Hope had returned with the potion and the Saltzman twins had taken a dose each. She then proceeded to go over the basics again.

"There is a witch and an anchor assigned to each twin. I'll be with Lizzie which means Ms. Tig you're with Josie…"

As Hope continued to explain, Caroline, who was standing by her side all this while, watched as Klaus walked towards them to come stand next to his daughter.

"Hope, you do realize I can easily get another witch to do this. You're not strong enough yet –"

"I'm not denying that," Hope shrugged, cutting him off and Klaus raised an eyebrow. "… that's why _you,_ Dad, are going to be my anchor." Klaus' expression changed ever so slightly and Hope turned to Caroline. "Ms. Forbes you will be Josie's." Caroline chewed her lower lip in thought, so engrossed she missed the flicker of gold in Klaus' eyes in response to her unconscious action.

"How do we even know what the dark versions of the girls looks like?" Caroline asked, idly noticing Alaric talking to her girls a little further away, reminding her that she needed to have a conversation with them as well.

"I have a feeling you'll know when you see it," Hope said with a wry laugh and Caroline saw her daughters walk up to them. Lizzie glanced at her and turned to Hope.

"Alright, let's do this."

* * *

When Hope opened her eyes, it was dark; all she could sense was being surrounded by trees in a dark forest.

 _Did the spell work_?

She couldn't really be sure yet if she had actually managed to land up in Lizzie's subconscious.

The woods weren't familiar to her – it was neither like the ones in Mystic falls nor like the dream she seen of the after-life with her mother. The trees were different; thicker and with heavier sinewy roots, like–

"Hope?"

She turned towards the direction of the voice to see Lizzie standing a little further behind her.

"Lizzie? Where are we? What is this place?" Lizzie jogged up to her and sighed.

"Yeah, this is Fangorn Forest."

"Huh?"

Lizzie groaned and grabbed Hope's wrist, dragging her a little further till they came to a clearing and Hope could see that they had now come to the edge of the woods and there was a lake.

And across the lake she could see the silhouette of a mansion looming over them, which was shining by the light of the –

"Wait a second, the moon is… wait, is that the Death Star?"

"NOT important," Lizzie snapped her fingers in front of Hope's face to get her attention. "If this is really what my subconscious looks like, I'm guessing we'll find 'evil me' at the mansion over there. We need to work on finding a way to get to it."

"Creepy house looks about right for a creepy you."

"It's not a creepy house; it's the Luthor mansion."

"What?"

"Again, not important. See those bushes there?" Lizzie pointed at some of the shrubbery near the lake. "Something tells me we'll find boats under there to cross this river and get to the mansion on the other side."

Hope looked at Lizzie curiously and the two of them scurried over to the spot Lizzie had indicated. Sure enough, there was a canoe and a pair of oars hidden under the thick leaves. Hope turned back to look at Lizzie.

"How did you do that, Lizzie?" She shook her head.

"I don't really know how this place works," Lizzie said, shrugging. "I just _really_ wanted to get across and next thing I knew, I got a feeling I'd find what I needed here." Hope frowned, picking up an oar and shoving into Lizzie's hands.

"My magic doesn't seem to work here either," Hope noted, snapping her fingers. "Whatever it is, we better figure it out soon," she said as they got into the canoe. "Ugh, would it have killed you to conjure up a motorboat…" she muttered as they began to push forward in the water.

* * *

Alaric stood watching over the six people in a circle as they carried out the spell to enter his daughters' minds. To an outsider it would have appeared like a group of people had gathered to meditate in silence. The reality was so far from that Alaric had to allow himself an empty laugh for the benefit of that thought.

He was waiting near the entrance of the basketball court. The doors had been magically sealed shut so the spell could be done without any interruptions from students or teachers that may have been passing by but he still felt the need to stand by just in case. His grip on his crossbow tightened as he saw Klaus budge slightly, only letting go when he noted that both his girls seemed to be doing fine. Despite the temporary relief, he sighed in exasperation.

Because the truth was, he felt utterly helpless at the moment.

His daughters were opening up their minds in the hope that the Gemini magic they were born with could be contained. The very curse that he and Caroline had been working on getting rid of all these years was in the process of being dealt with and there was nothing that he could do to help but watch over them in the hope that everything worked out alright.

And then there was Caroline. The moment they got a second of privacy away from the kids, he had asked her about their plans to eventually destroy the magic, a question he had put aside simply for the benefit of Hope earlier. She confirmed his biggest fear when she reminded him of her outrageous decision to take upon the linked magic herself and destroy it.

The last time round when Klaus pulled the same stunt for Hope, he had no issue with it but this time…

He nearly jumped when his phone buzzed in his pocket, only then realizing how much on edge he was. He answered on the first ring after glancing at the caller ID.

"Freya?"

"Any progress?"

Alaric could safely say he had gotten used to Freya's way of getting straight to the point without bothering with any small talk but now especially, he appreciated it.

"They seem fine. It's not like I can tell much." That's when he heard her sigh in relief. "Were you worried?" She let out a dry laugh.

"I know Hope is my niece and she's brilliant for her age but I wouldn't be her aunt if I wasn't worried."

"Yeah," Alaric huffed out. For a moment, neither of them said anything, unsure what else they had to talk about apart from the event unfolding, until Freya spoke up again.

"You're worried too," she said simply, the tone of her words wavering between a question and a statement.

"Are you asking me if I'm worried about my daughters? Right after you pointed out how it would be weird for you not to worry about your niece?" Alaric scoffed.

"I wasn't questioning your relationship with you daughters. I was just saying you have more than just _their_ lives at stake here." Alaric squeezed his eyes shut for moment as he realized she had seen through him.

"Yes, Caroline already told me about her crazy suicide mission," he said, groaning in annoyance and frustration.

"Yeah…"

"She's not ready to listen to reason and I just…" Alaric groaned, biting back his words as he reminded himself that he was talking to a Mikaelson, who had no reason to listen to him vent.

"Yeah well, my brother deciding to join her isn't exactly something that he and I had agreed on either," Freya muttered and that's when Alaric was reminded that Klaus had willingly signed up to be in the same boat as Caroline, not that he cared about that as much.

"Right," Alaric said carefully, unsure about just how aware Freya was about the relationship between Caroline and her brother. "They're just two stubborn people –"

"– who are hopelessly in love with each other," she finished simply, to Alaric's surprise. "Yes, I know they're together. Well, sort of." Alaric raised an eyebrow.

"Klaus _told_ you?" He asked, knowing his disbelief was evident in his voice. He heard Freya huff out a short laugh.

"You really think Klaus is the type to sit his sisters down and have a heart to heart announcing his relationship status?" She scoffed. "Of _course_ , he didn't tell me. It just couldn't have been more obvious."

For some strange reason her words seemed more relatable to him than ever and made him chuckle, but his laughter faded as soon as reality set in again.

"I don't want Caroline to do this," he said, shaking his head. "There's got to be another way; there just has to be."

Freya didn't respond straight away. He could sense hesitation as the silence advanced towards an awkward point and she cleared her throat.

"What if I told you," she began slowly, "there might be a chance…"

"What?"

"I've been doing some research," she started, sounding slightly uncertain. "And don't get too excited, it's just… I have a theory. One that might save Caroline the need to be in that position of taking in the linked Gemini magic." Alaric exhaled sharply.

"Tell me."

* * *

"Are you sure we're going the right way?"

"Trust me, Hope, if there's an evil version of myself ruling this place then the Throne Room would be exactly where I'm located."

After she and Lizzie had managed to cross the river and find their way into the mansion, they had spent a considerable amount of time trying to work out the layout of the place, most of that time having been spent with Lizzie confidently leading Hope to the wrong places.

This time however, Lizzie had barely finished speaking before they walked into a Great Hall at the center of which there was a grand flight of stairs leading to –

"You found me."

Hope and Lizzie's eyes widened as their gaze landed on the source of the voice and they saw a girl who looked identical to Lizzie but was dressed completely in black from head to toe, seated comfortably on…

"Is that…" Hope whispered to Lizzie, "Is that the throne from…"

"Yes, it is, Hope. Now shut up because we have bigger problems to deal with," Lizzie hurriedly mumbled before completely shifting her attention to her darker avatar. "So err, I'm just going to refer to you as Goth Lizzie because _ugh_ ," she said with a scoff as her eyes roved over Dark Lizzie's outfit, "but I need you to come with me."

Hope frowned, not completely sure where Lizzie was going with this because they hadn't really chalked out the details on the securing front of things.

 _Guess we're winging it_.

Dark Lizzie stared at the two of them for a moment before bursting out into hysterical laughter. Lizzie and Hope exchanged confused glances at each other while they waited for the other Lizzie to gather herself.

"You idiots," Dark Lizzie began, still breathless from laughing so hard, "You think you can just take ME away and lock me up?" She scoffed and stood up from her throne. "I am the frikkin' QUEEN!" She screamed at them and her eyes went black with dark veins pulsing along the edges of her face. Hope heard Lizzie gasp next to her and on impulse, stood forward.

"Queen? This world isn't even real!"

"Hope, what are you doing?" Lizzie whispered with gritted teeth next to her. "Haven't you heard the phrase, 'never tickle a sleeping dragon'?"

"Huh?"

"Am _I_ really being the sane one right now trying to calmly get Goth Lizzie to come with us while YOU are attempting to pick a fight?"

"No, I –"

Hope didn't get to complete her sentence because a loud screeching noise had her and Hope's heads snapping towards the throne. Except this time, instead of the dark version of Lizzie, there was something else that stood in its place.

"Lizzie, did she…" Hope choked out in surprise. "Did she just turn into a DRAGON?"

"Erm…"

Another loud screech echoed across the room as the creature roared, it's elongated, dark and scaly neck looming over them. Its coal black eyes darted between Hope and Lizzie before it snorted, wisps of smoke swirling out of its large nostrils.

"Wait, is she going to…"

"RUN!" Lizzie grabbed Hope's hand and pulled her away just as a wave of burning hot flames swept towards them.

"Seriously Lizzie, why did you have to be such a closeted geek?!" Hope yelled as they ran through the arched hallways, narrowly staying beyond the reach of the fire with the dragon continuing to chase them.

"You tell anyone about this after we wake up, you're DEAD!" Lizzie yelled back and they took a turn. "This way! Maybe we can lock it up in the dungeon!" She said, dragging Hope along with her.

"This place has a– " Hope rolled her eyes, "Why am I even surprised anymore?" They came to a grinding halt as the hallway opened up into a dark and gloomy looking space with a high ceiling. Hope took a quick look around and groaned. "How exactly do you plan to trap a dragon of that size in here?"

"Oh, ye of little faith…"

"Lizzie, I'm not even sure it can make its way in –" She was stopped short when a thundering roar rang across the room. They stiffened in place and Hope slowly turned her head to look at Lizzie, who was now looking equally freaked out. "Is it just me, or does that not sound like a dragon anymore?"

A low growl rumbled through the air, sending a chill down Hope's spine. The two of them slowly turned around to come face to face with three sets of bared fangs and froze in place.

"God, Lizzie, couldn't you think of something cute and cuddly for once?" She said through gritted teeth, trying not to unsettle the large three-headed creature in front of them. "This place seems to be feeding off your thoughts!"

"Just stay calm," Lizzie said under her breath, not taking her eyes of the beast. "Don't make any sudden movements."

"It's not a frikkin' T-Rex!" Hope hissed back.

The huge creature's three heads suddenly shifted towards Hope and Lizzie turned to her, her eyes wide.

"You said this place might conjure things that are on my mind, right?"

"I said _might_ ," she muttered, now wary as the creature's eyes seemed to be trained only on her. "These three, look like they're just about ready to eat me so I hope you have some bright ideas." It took a predatory step towards them and they took a step back too, just as Lizzie gasped.

"I've got it."

Hope narrowed her eyes at Lizzie in confusion and watched as she slowly pulled something out of her back pocket. She raised an eyebrow just as the creature let out another low growl and saw that Lizzie was holding a phone, scrolling for something.

"I can't believe I'm asking this, but…" Hope started, her voice brimming with annoyance, "Who you gonna call?" Lizzie ignored her, bending down slowly to place the phone on the floor just as some light music started to play off it. Hope raised an eyebrow. "Lizzie, I don't really think now is the time to set the mood or –"

"It's working…" she whispered, and that's when Hope turned to face the large animal that now appeared to be… falling asleep?

"Erm," Hope raised an eyebrow. "What is happening?"

"Dark Lizzie turned herself into a three-headed dog," Lizzie explained like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "And if there's one thing I know about three-headed dogs, it's that music puts them right to sleep."

"Okay?" Hope turned to look at Lizzie, not wanting to dwell on where that piece of information came from. "So, we have what, till the end of this song till she wakes up and tears us to bits?"

"Oh, it's Lo-fi music, that stuff goes on forever," Lizzie said matter-of-factly and Hope groaned impatiently.

"All I need to know is if this will keep her under for the foreseeable future."

"She won't wake up till the music stops, if that's what you're asking."

"That's good enough, I guess. Let's get out of here."

"Finally. I've had enough of you poking around in my head."

* * *

Caroline stood and looked on as Lizzie, Hope and Klaus continued to stay under the spell. They had managed to secure the dark version of Josie in her subconscious – which she amusingly found to be a fairy-tale themed land – and had gotten out without much trouble. The fact that these three were taking slightly longer began to worry her when suddenly Lizzie and Hope's eyes burst open and they took a deep breath. Klaus eye's opened as well and he immediately began to tend to Hope who was now coughing violently.

Caroline went and knelt down next to Lizzie, wrapping her in a hug. "Hey, you're okay."

"I'm fine, Mom," she muttered. "I think Hope needs to rest though."

Caroline watched as Klaus held his daughter close, stroking her back as she continued to cough. He stood slowly, helping Hope stand up as well and looked towards Caroline.

"I'm taking Hope to her room."

"We'll take her, Mr. Mikaelson," Lizzie offered stepping towards them.

"I _said_ , I will take her," he growled and before Caroline could respond, Alaric stepped up.

"You watch how you talk to my daughter, Mikaelson," he sneered at the Hybrid.

"None of you would even BE here if it wasn't for _my_ daughter!"

"ENOUGH!" Caroline snapped, taking everyone around by surprise. She glared at Klaus. "Mr. Mikaelson, can I speak with you in my office? _NOW_?"

Klaus glared at her for a moment before he handed Hope over to Lizzie and began to walk out. Caroline turned to Alaric.

"Ric, I'll talk to him just –"

"Don't worry, I'll handle it," Ric told her with a reassuring smile. She sighed and flashed out of the basketball court to look for Klaus.

She entered her office and found him leaning against her desk, examining the plaque with her name on it, a sight that was giving her some serious déjà vu. On seeing her, he placed it back on the table and crossed his arms.

"What's this about…" he scowled.

"You don't need me to tell you that you can't talk to people, _especially_ kids, that way," Caroline hissed at him and he looked like he was about to retort with something harsh.

Instead, he took a deep breath and walked up to her, taking her hands in his.

"I'm worried about Hope," he grumbled.

"We are ALL worried about the kids," Caroline reminded him. "Have you forgotten why we're doing all of this in the first place?" She could see the anxiety in his deep blue eyes and pulled him into a hug. He tightened his arms around her and she sighed. "We'll figure it out, Klaus. Together."

Just then she felt a buzz from his coat and they pulled apart so he could answer his phone. "It's Freya," he stated before putting her on speaker phone. "Sister?"

"Alaric tells me things went fine."

"Yes, but Hope is still recovering. Is there a reason you called?"

There was a pause before Freya replied. "I've finally worked out how we can destroy the linked Hollow and Gemini magic." Caroline's eyes widened.

"That's… that's great! Oh my God, Klaus!" She turned to smile at him but he still looked unconvinced.

"What's the catch?"

More silence. Freya cleared her throat. "So… this spell WILL link and extract the magic out of Hope, Lizzie and Josie but we still have a problem that can't be worked around… in terms of destroying it." Her voice crackled through the speaker on Klaus's phone.

" _What_ is it?" Klaus asked, his lips pressed together in worry. Caroline gently took his hand before addressing Freya, understanding dawning upon her.

"You still need a host, don't you?" She spoke softly and Klaus' gaze snapped to hers. She could tell he was remembering the moment she had told him about the possibility of dying to save her kids.

"Yes," Freya responded. "Since the Gemini magic is parasitic, I can't just _pull_ it out and set it aside till we're ready to kill it, so to speak. Well, definitely no longer than a minute because of the strong parasitic function of the Gemini magic." She sighed. "If we had Aurora secured here, this would be a different story, though."

Klaus growled and Caroline had a feeling he was going to grind his sister about her and Rebekah being the ones who told him to let her go in the first place. She squeezed his hand and spoke up instead.

"So… what happens in the event that Aurora actually goes as far as to kill herself _after_ the linked magic has been extracted out of the girls and placed in the host?"

"It's basically a chain reaction," Freya explained. "If Aurora dies, her bond with the Hollow ensures both it and the Gemini magic are destroyed. But since the combined magic will be residing in… well, someone at the time…" Caroline sighed resignedly.

"It kills the host too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, tough luck there. Oh well.
> 
> That bit where they go into Lizzie's mind is sort of a tribute to a certain Legacies episode where Hope turns into Little Red Riding Hood when they enter Josie's mind and.. okay, you don't wanna know lol. I'm just having my share of a little fun before the story comes to an end. Did you get all the references? I threw quite a bunch of them in there.
> 
> I hope everyone enjoyed the update; which was your favourite scene? I feel like it's becoming evident that we're only a few chapters away till the finish line. Thank you for being patient; I appreciate those who followed up when I didn't update this week.
> 
> So, the next update might be in another ten days. We'll see what the state of things are, I don't want to make promises I may not be able to keep. Fingers crossed!


	35. And So It Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are set in place to finally extract the Gemini curse & the Hollow magic out of the girls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I know ten days became closer to two weeks but yeah, life's funny like that. Also, I feel like my editing is getting more obsessive as we near the end (just a few more chapters people!). That being said, there might still be a few weird words that slipped through the cracks at points where I was really low on sleep.
> 
> Thank you for your patience! And special thank you's to the lovelies who reached out to follow up on the update (you guys are just the pep I need to write!) I appreciate everyone who's stuck with the story so far, I'm super grateful :)
> 
> Heads up, there's quite a few important things happening in this chapter. Things are going to get fast-paced as we get closer to the finale.
> 
> Disclaimer: TVD isn't mine yo (clearly, I'm running out of ways to say it)

Klaus groaned in annoyance. Freya was still on speaker and he placed the phone on the table, convinced that if he held it in his hand any longer, he would crush it between his fingers.

"Why can't we just put it all into Aurora, kill her and be DONE with it?" He snapped.

"I _can't_ do that. The spell requires a considerable amount of blood from the host and it's not like we have any of Aurora's lying around, do we?" Klaus heard her take a deep breath and her voice was softer this time. "The best-case scenario would be knowing _exactly_ when Aurora dies so I can extract the magic at that precise moment from whoever the host is, just long enough for them to be safe. But unfortunately, that's not something that we can plan for." Klaus growled under his breath and Caroline cleared her throat.

"Freya, it's fine. I knew this was bound to happen…" Caroline started and Klaus' eyes snapped to hers. "I was already prepared to give up my life so I can save my kids anyway –"

"NO!" Klaus stopped her and picked up his phone off the table. "Let me call you back, Freya," he barked into it and hung up, turning to glare at Caroline. "I thought I told you there's no bloody way you're doing this."

"And I thought I told you it was _my_ decision."

Klaus bit back a harsh retort and groaned, knowing all too well that Caroline was going to be stubborn about this.

He decided to try another approach.

"Let me do it," he said simply. Caroline stared at him in confusion.

"What?"

"I'm a Hybrid and that makes me physically stronger to hold the magic," he reasoned. "I've dealt with the Hollow before; I've seen firsthand how it took its toll on FOUR Originals, even in its divided form. Besides, I won't have its darkness tainting your being or –"

"DON'T use that argument with me, Klaus; you _know_ it's not the same thing. This is like a fraction of a fraction of a FRACTION of that magic," she exclaimed. "And do I have to remind you that you're NOT an Original anymore? I won't let you die for my kids."

"And I WON'T live in a world where you don't exist!" He bellowed and his eyes were blurry with unshed tears of rage and frustration. Caroline simply shook her head.

"Klaus…"

"Maybe this was meant to be, Caroline," Klaus shrugged, his voice wavering slightly. "Maybe this is why I got a second chance, why I came back –"

"I don't believe that," Caroline whispered, a tear falling down her cheek as she took his face in her palms and leaned in to rest her forehead on his.

"I was already dead. My coming back was a gift, love," Klaus said softly. "Your family needs you. Your school needs you…"

"Klaus, DON'T…"

"Who knows, with any luck, Freya might be able to extract the linked magic out in time." Caroline leaned back slightly to look straight into his eyes.

"Luck, Klaus? Really? Now I know you're just saying what you think I need to hear." She huffed out a dry laugh and lightly brushed her fingers over his hair.

"Together, then," she said simply and it was Klaus' turn to look confused. "We'll take the linked magic together, the two of us."

"Now THAT is ridiculous," he scoffed. "I don't see why two people have to go down for something that can just as well happen at the cost of one life."

"Yeah well, I didn't see the point of both you AND Elijah having to die for the Hollow but you did it anyway," Caroline sniped back and Klaus clenched his jaw, unable to refute her point.

"Fine," he agreed, to Caroline's mild surprise. "Together." She frowned, cautiously deciding not to dwell on how easily he seemed to give in to the idea.

"Great," she said, taking his hand and giving it a squeeze. "Now we need to figure out what we're telling the kids."

* * *

Keelin walked into her and Freya's room after a long day of work to see her wife bustle about her table as quickly as her very pregnant form would allow her. She dropped her bag to the side and watched as Freya – who was so engrossed in her work she hadn't even noticed her come in – continued to assemble everything she needed for the spell. She was muttering something under her breath and that was when Keelin reached out to put a hand on her shoulder.

"Freya, you need to take it easy. You can't stress yourself out in your condition."

Freya nearly jumped at her voice, like she only just noticed Keelin had entered the room. She paused and stared at her for a second before continuing to rush about with her work.

"I can't take it easy." Freya pressed her palms to the table and stilled, drooping her head and taking a deep breath. Keelin came closer and began to massage her shoulders.

"What's wrong?" There was worry in her voice. Freya sighed.

"Klaus just informed me that both he and Caroline plan to be hosts for the linked magic once it's siphoned out of the kids," she started, her eyes briefly fluttering shut. "I just said goodbye to my brother… again."

" _Brother, I hope this is not how we part," Freya said softly on the phone. "You know very well that as soon as Aurora finds out the magic is in you, she's going to take advantage of the bond and do what it takes to kill you."_

" _I'm sure of it."_

" _And Caroline, you're fine with this?"_

" _She isn't here," Klaus stated. "She left to check on her daughters." Freya frowned at the strange tone her brother's voice had taken._

" _Why do I feel that we're having this conversation without her for a particular reason?"_

_Silence. Freya could sense that Klaus was going to tell her something she was not going to be happy about._

" _I overheard you talking to Alaric while we were doing the spell in the basketball court."_

_Freya cleared her throat. Leave it to Klaus' superior hearing abilities to be able to eavesdrop while being the anchor to a spell._

" _Brother, I…"_

" _Is it true? Are you telling me there's a way that Caroline can be saved?" Freya heard him exhale sharply. "And you chose to keep this from me?"_

" _I didn't say that Caroline can be SAVED," Freya insisted. "I just had a very loose assumption-based theory that I only even told Alaric so he would stop freaking out."_

" _I see." There was a long pause. "Nevertheless, there's something I need you to do for me."_

I'm sorry you're going through this, Freya," Keelin said sadly, rubbing her wife's back. "But you need to take some rest before getting into this tomorrow…"

"I can't lose my brother, Keelin," Freya shook her head, her eyes welled up with tears waiting to fall. "Not when we just got him back."

"I know you told me not to debate with you on this since you already made up your mind to do the spell yourself," Keelin started, "But I can't help but be anxious when I see you like this. I don't want this whole thing to weaken you or hurt our baby in any way." Freya turned to Keelin and reached out to palm her cheek. She flashed her an earnest smile.

"Don't be afraid," she said, shifting her gaze and moving her palm to rub her belly. "I can't explain it, but it strangely feels like the little one is telling me that everything will be okay." Keelin sighed resignedly.

"Do the three girls know their parents are planning to set themselves up to die?" Keelin looked at her wife with a steel-hard gaze and Freya instantly walked across to the other side of the table to resume to her preparation for the spell.

"They've been told the linked magic will be destroyed with this spell."

"And they accepted it?" Keelin raised an eyebrow and followed Freya to stand by her side. "I find it hard to believe that Hope will fall for something like that again after the last time with Klaus."

"Hope trusts me."

"And you're breaking that trust."

"It's not like I have a choice."

"You know very well there's always a choice, Freya."

"I have to respect my brother's dying wish!" Freya exclaimed and Keelin raised her eyebrows. "I'm sorry…" she sighed. "I just can't take it that he's going to do this again. I really need to find a more foolproof way for this to work." She ran her fingers through her hair. "If I can pull out the magic right before Aurora dies, I might be able to save them both but that's something we obviously have no control over, unless…" Freya paused to look at Keelin before rushing to grab her phone.

"I need to call Rebekah."

* * *

Hope's body stirred awake and her eyes slowly fluttered open. It was dark in the room; she got the feeling it was pretty late. She gingerly sat up, now aware that she wasn't even in her own room.

She looked to her side to see a double bed on which Lizzie and Josie appeared to be fast asleep.

They had brought her into their room so they could all rest together, she realized. Either that or it was easier this way to keep an eye on her.

Hope wasn't sure whether to be touched or anxious on that thought.

She coughed lightly and a chill sent shivers across her body, reminding her of what was in store for the next day. The Hollow in her body was going to be linked with the dark magic in the twins and they were finally going to destroy it once and for all using Aunt Freya's spell.

It was odd; even though she was pretty confident that things would go smoothly, she knew one could never be completely sure when it came to magic.

Most importantly, they had no idea where Aurora was at the moment and what she was planning. And with the bond with her still in place…

Hope swallowed. She was suddenly overwhelmed with the realization that if Aurora simply decided to end her own life, she could just drop dead right now.

And no one would even find out about it until they woke up the next morning and found her.

An abrupt death like what happened to lots of people every single day with no farewells or final 'I love you's.

All of a sudden, the fact that she was put in a room with the twins seemed to give a modicum of comfort.

She saw her phone lying on the bedside table, serving simply as a black mirror as it lay there with nothing new to display for her. She picked it up and walked up to the window, barely noticing the tree-covered night-time view of the Salvatore property.

The glow from her phone lit up her face as the screen came to life. She barely used the device, as was evident from the lack of texts or calls on them barring the few she exchanged with her family and few students at the school. That was when mid-scroll her thumb landed on a name she hadn't thought of for a while now.

Jake.

She wondered how he was doing. Even with the weird way things had gone down between them, she found herself missing him at this very moment as the little fun memories came back to her.

And then the strangest idea struck her. She opened a new text window and began to type.

H: _Hey Jake, it's Hope. I just wanted to see if you're okay. We're doing this thing at school tomorrow which may or may not be life-changing so I thought I'll take this chance to say goodbye… just in case._

The message pinged away before Hope could give it a second thought and she took a deep breath.

 _I guess one farewell is better than none_.

She walked back to the bed and went under the covers, wishing her heart would stop racing.

* * *

Caroline stared at the mirror in her bedroom, looking ever the seventeen-year-old who died so many years ago standing in her white tank top and her pajama pants. She ran a hand through her loose curls, ready to go to bed but for some reason, unable to find it in herself to do so.

 _I might die tomorrow_ , a voice in her head echoed. _Like, actually die_.

With something as worrying as the linked Hollow and Gemini magic being placed into her and Klaus in less than twenty four hours, sleep seemed like a pointless waste of time.

She had said her goodbyes to Rick about an hour ago, but was slightly relieved that he wasn't as angry with her as he first was when she had put her plan across to him.

" _You know this is just a precautionary goodbye," Alaric muttered as he leaned back from a hug with Caroline and looked straight at her. "There's no guarantee that Aurora is going to do anything right away."_

" _It's not just that, Ric," Caroline shrugged him off and shook her head. "There's just SO much that can go wrong! For starters, it's a spell that hasn't been done before. What if it backfires and hurts the kids? What if something happens with Hope before we extract the magic? What if –"_

" _Freya is really good at what she does," Alaric pointed out and Caroline groaned in frustration._

" _I just WISH we knew where Aurora is and what she's planning…"_

" _She must still have allies in Nola if she's managed to stay hidden so long," Alaric mused._

" _What is she even waiting for? Is she getting a kick out of keeping us in suspense?" Caroline exclaimed, her tone getting more impatient. Alaric responded with a sad smile and put an arm on her shoulder._

" _Just get some sleep, Care."_

Caroline plopped down on the edge of her bed.

 _I need some fresh air_.

She grabbed a throw off her couch and wrapped it around herself before flashing out of her house. In seconds she was standing at the balcony of the Old Mill, looking out at the very spot where the extraction spell was to take place the next day.

"Couldn't sleep, love?"

Caroline's face snapped around to the all-too-familiar voice and saw Klaus in his deep red Henley paired with dark jeans looking like he had zero intentions of sleeping that night. She laughed lightly and crossed her arms at him.

"Is the bed in the room we offered you not up to your fancy Mikaelson standards?" She threw him a questioning look before turning away to look at the view again.

"I don't sleep much anyway. Besides…" Caroline exhaled sharply as she felt him walk closer and come up behind her, his hands sliding around her waist. "You know very well I'd much rather be in the bed you are in..."

His words tickled her ear and Caroline huffed out a laugh, placing her hands over his intertwined fingers in front of her. She took a moment to savor the feeling of being so close to him before something that had been festering in her mind tumbled out.

"How does she do it?"

Klaus tilted his head and Caroline craned her neck back slightly to look at him.

"What's that, love?" He asked, confusion lining his beautiful face.

"How has Hope managed to remain so composed knowing that the Hollow is within her and she could get hurt anytime by Aurora?" She sighed. "She's just… so brave. I mean, just knowing that I'm going to take the combined magic in me tomorrow… I actually feel kinda silly for being this scared –"

"I'm sure it's not as half as how much I fear for my daughter's life every second that cursed magic is within her," Klaus interrupted her and Caroline paused, realizing only then how much worse it might just be for Klaus. "There's nothing wrong with wanting to live, Caroline. You told me so yourself that you did, on your birthday all those years ago."

"I _know_ this is for my children. I know I've decided to do this and I've come to terms with it…"

"Have you really Caroline?" Klaus asked suddenly, stepping to the side and holding her hands in his. "You know it's not too late. I can still do this without –"

"We're doing this together or not at all," Caroline said shortly, not wanting to have that argument again.

"Sweetheart, I don't see why you're so hell-bent on this," Klaus shook his head and narrowed his eyes at her. "Perhaps you just need a reminder of your priorities in life. How about we play a little game called 'worst case scenario'?"

"Klaus –"

"If you die tomorrow, is there something you'd like to say?"

"What?"

"Maybe to yourself? To your loved ones?" Klaus' gaze burned into hers. "To me?"

"This is stupid and morbid…"

"A friend once told me that we are the architects of our own happiness," Klaus stated. "Are you going to leave this world happy, Caroline?"

"I – I don't know," Caroline sputtered and cleared her throat. "If this is farewell, I'd say I'm glad to know that my kids will be safe from unnecessary death because I'm doing this. I'd say I trust that Ric will find a way to handle the school himself or at least find someone he can team up with. I'd say…" She glanced at Klaus who continued to look at her expectantly. "I'd say I'm mad at YOU for doing this with me when you could have just let me go through with it myself –"

He tilted his head at her and she sighed.

"I'd also say I love you for doing this with me and not letting me go till the end." Through her blurry eyes she saw a small smile appear on Klaus' lips. "Now, it's only fair that _you_ now tell me what you would say, considering we're both in the same boat." She smiled back at him and he shifted his gaze briefly to their hands.

"If this is farewell, I suppose I would start by saying how grateful I am that I received a second chance at life… one that allowed me more time to spend with my daughter and the rest of my family. One where I got… to be with you."

Caroline exhaled sharply and Klaus squeezed her hand, his eyes trained on hers again as he continued.

"You constantly remind me how I've changed for the better and even though Hope is the one I can truly say changed everything for me, there's no denying you were the one who set me on that path." He came closer and palmed her face before leaning in to give her a light, chaste kiss.

"I love you, Caroline. I just need you to know that." She gave him a sad smile before narrowing her eyes at him suspiciously.

"Why does it feel like your speech is _much_ less spontaneous than mine?" He shrugged lightly.

"Perhaps it's because I have such an eloquent way with words," he said simply and Caroline rolled her eyes.

"Oh right, I forgot you're like, a billion," she teased and Klaus' eyes burned bright. The very next second he had flashed her into his arms and pinned her on the floor, sending sawdust flying everywhere and smoking up the air. Klaus' almost hungry gaze came into view above her as the dust slowly settled around them.

"I like to think I'm quite fit for my age," he growled, making Caroline gasp. He bent down to drop her a kiss before he pulled back and looked at her. Caroline frowned.

"What's with that look?" She asked curiously and an earnest smile spread across Klaus' face.

"I just never cease to be amazed by the way you make me feel," he said simply. Caroline scoffed.

"Charmer." She replied, a smiled tugging at the end of her own mouth. "Such a romantic wolf puppy, what would your enemies have to say?"

"I don't see any of them around, do you love?" Before Caroline could answer he had already captured her lips with his.

At that very moment, Caroline was hit with a surge of happiness so strong she could cry. Here she was lying on the floor of an old mill covered in sawdust while the man she loved kissed her senseless above her, his free hand gently stroking the side of her pajama covered legs.

Her eyes fluttered closed as she felt his lips move across her jaw to her earlobe. In her bliss she briefly let herself forget what was in store for her in the near future. Tomorrow she and Klaus would take the Hollow and the Gemini curse magic unto themselves to protect their children.

If Aurora decided to kill herself while the curse was still in them, this might very well be their last night on earth.

Caroline swallowed as she felt Klaus dip his face in the crook of her neck and let his hand drag across the fabric of her tank top. It was when he used his finger to tug aside her top and set one breast free that the cold air prickled her freshly-exposed skin and her eyes burst open.

"Klaus!" She scolded, pulling her top up to cover herself again. "I am NOT undressing in the open on school property. A student could walk in on us!"

"I must say I do enjoy it when you use your _headmistress_ tone with me," he responded unabashedly, making Caroline's cheeks burn red. "Do students really come here this late at night?"

"Oh, trust me this place has seen more parties than it should have," Caroline huffed out a laugh before poking a finger on his toned chest. "All clothes stay ON," she said with finality. Klaus looked straight at her and his eyes shone gold. Caroline felt a pleasurable shiver travel across her body when she felt Klaus' body thrum as he practically purred at her.

"Challenge accepted."

"That's not what I –"

She barely got her words out before he proceeded to pick up where he left off, letting his nose drag across her collarbone while his thumb gently stroked the side of her breast over her top. Caroline exhaled sharply, unable to control the way her body was unwittingly reacting to him.

She began to whimper softly in anticipation as she felt his fingers splay across her left breast and nearly choked when he gave it a squeeze. With the way her nerves were tingling, she could already feel like she was teetering towards the edge. Klaus continued to massage that breast _just_ right while his face tilted to the other one. She closed her eyes and could sense his nose and lips circling around her sensitive tip, making her more and more eager for him. Her breath was now coming out in short spurts and in her dazed state, she was unable to believe he was going to make her burst without even having proceeded beyond her chest.

And then all of a sudden without any warning, he closed in on her nipple with his lips and human teeth.

And BIT down.

Caroline's body trembled as Klaus' soft mouth clamped over the now damp cloth of her top and she stiffened as an overwhelming sense of relief came over her like cool waves lapping against her body on the beach.

As her breathing started to slow down, she blinked her eyes open and was momentarily stunned on seeing stars before Klaus' handsome face came into focus.

He was looking incredibly proud of himself. Caroline rolled her eyes.

"You don't _have_ to look so smug," she said, her voice coming out hoarser than she expected at which Klaus flashed her a smirk. "Besides, two can play at this game."

He raised an eyebrow but before he could retort, she had flipped them over and was now straddling him as he lay flat on the floor. She loomed over him and narrowed her eyes.

"My turn."

* * *

Less than ten hours later, Caroline found herself back at the same location except this time she was surrounded by her daughters and Alaric.

She had woken up early that morning to the sound of thunder, cuddled up on the dusty floor next to Klaus wrapped in the throw she had happened to carry with her. Before she could dwell on how Klaus had managed to make her put aside her worries for a night so easily, she had jostled him awake and they had both gone their separate ways.

Now she stood there helping her girls set up the space for the siphoning spell and anxiously tugged at the ends of her dark jacket that she had thrown over her favorite pink, ruffled cami. In hindsight she was probably too brightly dressed for such a dire occasion but if there was a chance that she's going to die today…

 _Might as well look hot going out_ , a petty voice in her head tried to pacify her.

She groaned out loud; all these repeated reminders of her impending death and the fact that her children weren't going to be informed was making her feel more and more like a hypocrite, much like how Klaus had reminded her last night.

" _Weren't you the one who harangued me about saying goodbye to my daughter before I died so I could give her real closure? I find it rather amusing how you seem so bent on ignoring your own advice when it involves you, love_."

To be fair, she did manage to squeeze in hints of a farewell deep in the guise of a pep talk to her girls earlier before they began to set up for the spell. It was hardly enough, but it would have to do because there was no way her daughters were going to let her go through with this if they knew the truth.

"They're here." Alaric's voice broke in her thoughts and she turned around to see Klaus walk up with Hope and –

"Rebekah?" The blonde Original responded to her name with a look, as did Klaus and Hope, who simply nodded at her. Her eyes went wide as Rebekah walked up to her. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard what you and my dear brother are planning to do," she stated. "What you're _really_ planning to do," she added with a scowl and Caroline's lips parted slightly in surprise. "How could I not be here? Besides, Freya needed all hands on deck to make sure the spell is executed perfectly." Caroline's mouth snapped shut at this.

"Right. Erm, thanks."

"I'm not doing this for you, Caroline. I just want my family to be safe," Rebekah clarified with a sneer and Caroline scoffed. "However, I have the feeling that Nik has long since accepted you under the umbrella of family."

Caroline couldn't help but smile even while Rebekah continued.

"Anyway, I plan to be by Nik's side the entire time so you're just going to have to deal with it." With that statement, she marched away, leaving behind a mildly amused Caroline.

Everything needed for the spell was almost in place and Klaus came to stand next to Caroline as they watched the markings on the ground be completed by their girls in silence.

There was rumble as the sounds of thunder floated across the sky almost menacingly. The echoes were barely ebbing away when the first few drops of water fell and a light drizzle began to pour over them. Caroline frowned and looked at Klaus questioningly just as a tiny droplet bounced off her nose.

"What's with all this rain all of a sudden?" She grumbled and Klaus glanced at her.

"I don't want to alarm you Caroline," he started carefully, immediately getting Caroline's attention. "But the presence of increased Hollow magic tends to mess with the weather, remember?" He pursed his lips as he looked up at the grey sky.

"Wait, what does that mean?" Caroline's eyes went wide as she looked straight at Klaus.

"It means this is either a strange coincidence and we're having an unexpected rainy day," he pointed out. "Or it's possible…" he paused for a moment. "… that Aurora is in Mystic Falls."

Caroline swallowed.

"Well that's ominous," she muttered.

"It's time," Alaric came up to them and addressed Caroline. "They're ready." Caroline simply nodded and walked towards her daughters, closely followed by Klaus who went straight to Hope.

Encouraging words were given to the children. Hugs were exchanged. But there was no mention of goodbyes, despite both Caroline and Klaus knowing the truth.

 _There's no other way_ , she continued to tell herself.

She and Klaus stood back as they watched their daughters get into position and begin to chant the words to the spell. Alaric stood close by the twins, armed with his crossbow while Rebekah stood further, informing Freya on the phone that the spell had begun. For a few peaceful moments, it was just the sound of the girls' chants and the little pitter-patter of the drizzle that lingered in the air.

Until Caroline felt a buzzing in her pocket.

Throwing a curious glance at Klaus who had heard it too, she looked at her phone to see: the call was coming from her office.

 _What the hell?_ She exchanged an anxious look with Klaus before answering.

"Hello?"

"You have a lovely office."

Caroline froze; she would recognize that saccharine tone of voice anywhere. And judging by the wide-eyed look on Klaus' face, he did too.

"Aurora," Caroline started slowly, her voice trembling slightly in rage. "WHAT are you doing here?"

"I'm sure you remember I have unfinished business with a certain former lover of mine," she drawled and Caroline's jaw clenched in anger. "I need you to bring him to me."

"And if I don't?" Caroline snapped back.

"You're quite plucky for someone who knows that Hope's life is in my hands thanks to that lovely bond we share…" She had barely finished speaking before Caroline hung up and turned to Klaus.

"My office."

"Let's go."

They began to move when Rebekah grabbed Klaus' arm and glared at him.

"Nik, what about…" she groaned and her gaze darted between her brother and Caroline. "Don't you two need to be here for… the _end_ of the spell?"

"What's going on?" Alaric had joined the group and Caroline filled him in.

"Ric, Aurora is in my office. I need you to make sure this spell continues without interference while Klaus and I handle it."

"But –"

"Just trust me, okay?" Caroline looked at him with pleading eyes and Alaric finally nodded. She then turned to the Original sister. "Rebekah, I need you to come with us."

"Are you planning to completely ignore the part of the spell that involves… you know…" Rebekah gestured, not wanting the girls to overhear.

"Aurora is in MY school," Caroline pointed out again. "I need your help to make sure no students come anywhere near my office."

"What?"

"Most of our kids were sent home but the ones who have nowhere to go were asked to stay indoors today while the spell took place, just in case. I CAN'T expose them to that dangerous woman again so please, just keep them away from that part of the building so they're safe." Caroline sighed and put an arm on Rebekah's shoulder. "Please, it's important."

Rebekah stared at Caroline for a moment and tugged her arm away lightly before responding.

"Fine."

"Call Freya," Klaus added. "Maybe she can stall the spell a little longer." He took Caroline's hand. "Come on, love."

Caroline didn't let go of his hands until they came to a stop in front of her office door. She took a deep breath and gazed at Klaus who nodded at her before they finally stepped in.

Caroline nearly gasped at the sight before her.

In front of her desk stood Aurora, dressed as elegantly as ever in black, holding a stake to her chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh oh. Like I said, things are going to speed up.
> 
> I thought there were quite a few emotion-packed interactions (and reflections) that I worked overtime to keep IC with the right dynamics. Phew! Which scenes did you enjoy the most? Anyone know who's the 'friend' that told Klaus that 'you are the architect of your own happiness'? Are you as excited as I am for the next update?
> 
> Guess we'll find out in ten days! Cheers :)
> 
> \--  
> MUSIC PROMPTS  
> \--  
> "Couldn't sleep, love?"  
> 'Tomorrow's Song' - Ólafur Arnalds  
> \--  
> "Charmer."  
> 'Not Knowing' - Satya


End file.
